B
Y usIness // THE INTERVIEW: KEVIN A. KIEFF
REGIONAL DIRECTOR, NEW YORK STATE PARKS T.I. REGION P. 40
JUNE 2014 Volume 4 No. 7
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A tale of 2 towns
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>> Inside JUNE 2014 17
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COVER |
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SMALL BIZ STARTUP |
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ENTREPRENEURS |
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18 CHARTING A COURSE Old rivalries aside, Alex Bay and Clayton are working for a better future on the river. |
17 SMOOTH SAILING For one Army retiree, setting sail on Lake Ontario is more than just another new hobby. |
25 BLAZING NEW PATHS For three very different men, the chance to turn passions into business is taking shape.
SMALL BUSINESS |
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MILESTONES |
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REAL ESTATE |
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32 CRAFTING A NEW BREW Wood Boat Brewery is a new Clayton watering hole and pub set to open soon. 34 OUT ON A HIGH NOTE Lunman’s Furniture owner David Lunman will end a 62year run in Adams in June. 38 TOP TRANSACTIONS Top 10 property sales in Jefferson, St. Lawrence and Lewis counties total $7m.
BUSINESS SCENE |
52 NETWORKING, NNY STYLE From Jefferson to Lewis counties, businessmen and women connect for success. BUSINESS HISTORY |
58 DEATH BY INVENTION Early automobiles spelled the end to a once-thriving carriage industry in NNY. WHAT’S HAPPENING HERE? |
60 FIRST OF ITS KIND A nearly $7m Hampton Inn in Potsdam is the first full-size hotel for the college town.
June 2014 | NNY Business
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INTERVIEW | 40 PRESERVING OUR PARKS Kevin A. Kieff, Thousand Islands Region state parks director oversees a range of services, staff and land area comparable to a small city, all to keep north country state parks open for business. |
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COLUMNS
46 COMMERCE CORNER DEPARTMENTS
10 11 12 15 17
ON THE COVER
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44 ECONOMICALLY SPEAKING 45 BUSINESS LAW
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47 AGRI-BUSINESS 48 BUSINESS TECH BYTES 49 SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESS
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EDITOR’S NOTE PEOPLE ON THE MOVE ECONOMIC SNAPSHOT BUSINESS BRIEFCASE SMALL BIZ STARTUP
37 50 52 58 60
REAL ESTATE ROUNDUP CALENDAR BUSINESS SCENE BUSINESS HISTORY WHAT’S HAPPENING HERE?
For this month’s cover photos, Photographer Justin Sorensen hitched a ride with St. Lawrence Aviation owner and pilot Mike Williams in his Cessna 172 for aerial perspectives of Clayton and Alexandria Bay. Our cover story, “A tale of 2 towns,” by veteran writer Norah Machia, examines efforts that each town is taking to chart a course for a prosperous future while boosting tourism. Justin used a Nikon D700 with a 70-200 mm lens, 500 ISO, f/2.8 at 1/8000 second.
June 2014 | NNY Business
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CONTRIBUTORS
BusIness www.nnybizmag.com
Chairman of the Board John B. Johnson Jr.
Gary DeYoung is director of the Thousand Islands International Tourism Council. He writes about destination marketing efforts under way to promote the region. (p. 44)
Larry Covell is an attorney and professor of busines at Jefferson Community Colege. He writes explains risks of loss during shipment of goods by common carrier. (p. 45)
Lynn Pietroski is president and CEO of the Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce. She explains the necessity for good policies and procedures in any business. (p. 46)
Publishers
John B. Johnson Harold B. Johnson II
VP News Operations Timothy J. Farkas
Magazine Editor
Kenneth J. Eysaman
Staff Writer / Editorial Assistant Grace E. Johnston
Photography
Jay Matteson is the agricultural coordinator for the Jefferson County Industrial Development Corp. He writes about how farms are taking advantage of educational tourism. (p. 47)
Jill Van Hoesen is chief information officer for Johnson Newspapers and a 28-year IT veteran. She explains Verizon’s 4G LTE network and the opportunities it brings for businesses. (p. 48)
Michelle Collins is an advisor for the state Small Business Development Center at SUNY Canton. She explains how seasonal clients can help benefit any business. (p. 49)
Norm Johnston, Justin Sorensen, Jason Hunter, Melanie Kimbler-Lago, Amanda Morrison
Director of Advertising Michael Hanson
Magazine Advertising Manager Matthew Costantino
Advertising Graphics
Brian Mitchell, Rick Gaskin, Heather O’Driscoll, Scott Smith, Todd Soules
Circulation Director Mary Sawyer
Lance M. Evans is executive officer for the Jefferson-Lewis and St. Lawrence County Board of Realtors. He suggests buyers consider all their needs and options when searching for a new or second home. (p. 37)
Norah Machia is a freelance writer and veteran Watertown Daily Times Reporter. In our cover story, she examines how Alex Bay and Clayton officials are working to boost tourism to build a brighter future. (p. 18)
Grace E. Johnston is a a staff writer and editorial assistant for NNY Magazines. This month, she writes about three local entrepreneurs who have traded traditional day jobs to pursue their passions. (pg. 25)
MARKETPLACE AIB Inc. ................................................ 6 Americu Credit Union ......................... 2 Artfest Kingston ................................... 4 Bach & Company ............................. 10 Bay Brokerage .................................. 26 Bayview Shores Realty ..................... 39 Boldt Castle ....................................... 23 Bond Schoeneck & King .................... 7 Bradley’s Trophy & Promotion ......... 61 Brockville Chamber .......................... 9 Caskinette’s Lofink Ford ................... 50 Center for Sight ................................... 3 Cheney Tire ....................................... 33 Clayton Chamber of Commerce .... 15 Clayton Dental Office ...................... 52 Clayton Marina ................................. 55 Clayton Opera House ...................... 22 Clipper Inn ......................................... 29 Coleman’s Corner ............................ 43 CREG Systems Corp. ........................ 10 Crouse Hospital ................................ 61 C-Way Golf Club .............................. 33 D. Laux Properties ............................. 39 Deline’s Auto Body ........................... 36 Development Authority of the North Country ......................... 46 DL Calarco Funeral Home ............... 51 Fairground Inn ................................... 43
8 | NNY Business | June 2014
Foy Agency Insurance ....................... 6 Fuccillo Auto Group ......................... 36 Fuller Insurance Agency .................... 6 GEICO .................................................. 6 Haylor Freyer & Coon ......................... 6 HD Goodale Co. Insurance ............... 6 Heel of the Boot Pizzeria .................. 43 High Tower Advisors ......................... 42 Hilton Garden Inn ............................. 54 Hospice of Jefferson County ........... 35 Howard Orthotics .............................. 44 Innovative Physical Therapy ........... 45 Jefferson County LDC ....................... 59 Jefferson-Lewis Board of Realtors ..... 39 Keegan Associates .......................... 20 Ken Piarulli/Ameriprise ..................... 26 LaValle Transportation ..................... 49 Meade Optical ................................. 31 Moe’s Southwest Grill ....................... 43 Nationwide Insurance ........................ 6 NNY Community Foundation ........... 27 Nortz & Virkler Ford ........................... 36 O’Briens Restaurant & Bar ................ 10 Phinn’s Fender & Body ..................... 36 Phinney’s Automotive Center .......... 36 RBC Wealth Management ............... 38 RC Congel Boat Sales ...................... 29 River Hospital .................................... 27
River Rat Cheese .............................. 29 Sackets Harbor Brewing Co. ........... 16 Sea Comm Federal Credit Union ..... 33 Shred Con ......................................... 48 Slack Chemical ................................ 47 St. Lawrence Aviation ...................... 24 St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce .................. 24 St. Lawrence Pottery ......................... 35 St. Lawrence River Dogs ................... 43 STAT Communications ..................... 31 SUNY Potsdam Extension ................. 11 The Antique Boat Museum ............... 14 Thousand Islands Realty .................. 39 Tobacco Free New York State ......... 63 Vintage Doors by Yester Year’s ....... 64 Waite Motor Sports ........................... 53 Waite Toyota ..................................... 56 Waldroff Farm Equipment ................ 57 Watertown Auto Repair .................... 36 Watertown Daily Times ..................... 31 Watertown International Airport ...... 60 Watertown LDC ................................. 37 Watertown Savings Bank ................. 21 Watertown Spring & Alignment ....... 36 Wells Communications...................... 59 Wood Boat Brewery............................ 23 WWTI-ABC 50....................................... 62
NNY Business (ISSN 2159-6115), is published monthly by Northern New York Newspaper Corp., 260 Washington St., Watertown, NY 13601, a Johnson Newspaper Corp. company. © 2010-2014. All material submitted to NNY Business becomes property of Northern New York Newspaper Corp., publishers of the Watertown Daily Times, and will not be returned.
Subscription Rates 12 issues are $15 a year and 24 issues are $25 for two years. Call 315-782-1000 to subscribe. Submissions Send all editorial correspondence to keysaman@wdt.net Advertising For advertising rates and information in Jefferson and Lewis counties, email mcostantino@wdt.net, or call 315-661-2305 In St. Lawrence County, e-mail knelson@ogd.com, or call 315-769-2451 Printed with pride in U.S.A. at Vanguard Printing LLC, Ithaca, N.Y., a Forest Stewardship Certified facility. Please recycle this magazine.
June 2014 | NNY Business
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EDITO R’S N O T E
E
xciting things are happening on the St. Lawrence River these days. From a new $22.5 million destination harbor hotel set to open later this summer in Clayton to the growing investments of more than $3 million in Alex Bay’s Bonnie Castle Resort by a team of new owners to brew pubs, wineries, new attractions like River Golf and the ever-continuing makeover of historic Boldt Castle, few can doubt that Alex Bay and Clayton have much to crow about. With all that’s new and developing to mark the progress, officials in both towns are looking at ways to work in tandem to promote the region Ken Eysaman rather than fly solo and squander a chance for a brighter future. As they say, a rising tide lifts all boats. What’s new and good in Clayton can also mean something good for the Bay as the two are nestled just 11.5 miles apart on the banks of the St. Lawrence. In this month’s cover story, veteran writer Norah Machia examines how the two towns are putting past rivalries aside and charting a course for good that will benefit all who call the river home.
Your Integrated Solutions Provider ~ Unified Communications ~ Digital and VoIP Telephone Systems: Shoretel, Toshiba
20 QUESTIONS — This month we sit down with Kevin Kieff, Thousand Islands regional director for the New York State Department of Parks and Recreation and Office of Historic Preservation. Kevin and his staff of 71 year-round and nearly 400 seasonal employees are responsible for a parks region that stretches from the shores of Lake Ontario in southern Jefferson County to the shores of Lake Champlain in Clinton County and all that’s in between along the St. Lawrence River to the west and Lewis County on the east. In the 14 years that he’s held the job, Kevin has seen a great number of changes, not the least of which has been the turnover of nearly all his senior staff. Despite some lingering challenges, under his leadership, parks visits have grown and, two years ago a major restoration project on the St. Lawrence River culminated with the re-opening
of Rock Island Light, which now serves as a popular tourist attraction. Our conversation with Kevin Kieff begins on page 40. BUSINESS SCENE — This month’s Scene section, which begins on page 52, features 66 faces from nearly 40 businesses across the north country. On May 14, we joined the Greater WatertownNorth Country Chamber of Commerce and more than 200 others at Watertown’s Hilton Garden Inn for the annual Armed Forces Day Luncheon. On May 15, we shared a meal with the South Jefferson Chamber of Commerce for its Annual Award Dinner at Ryan’s Lookout in Henderson where Gram’s Diner, Adams, and O.D. Greene Lumber & Hardware, Adams and Sackets Harbor, were named small and large businesses of the year, respectively. That same night, Lewis County editor Jeremiah Papineau joined the Lewis Chamber of Commerce for its May Business After Hours at Northern Credit Union. On May 21, magazine staffer Grace Johnston hopped a ride on the St. Lawrence River with Uncle Sam Boat Tours for the Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce May Business After Hours at Singer Castle. On June 5, we heard Robert Taub, commissioner of the U.S. Postal Regulatory Commission, deliver a common-sense call for reform of the U.S. Postal Service during a luncheon at Watertown’s Black River Valley Club. Finally, on June 6, we saw 25 members of the Class of 2014 — including Business Tech Bytes columnist Jill Van Hoesen — graduate from the Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce Jefferson Leadership Institute during a luncheon at Watertown’s Ramada Inn.
BEST OF NNY — Don’t miss your chance to vote
for some of your favorite businesses in our sister magazine’s Best of NNY Summer contest. From best burger to best swimming spot and best day spa, cast your pick for up to 25 different things in five categories on nnyliving.com. Results of our first seasonal best-of will appear in the July/August issue of NNY Living magazine. Yours in business,
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PEOPLE O N T H E MO V E
New director at Victims Assistance Center
Jill L. Parker has been named executive director of the Victims Assistance Center of Jefferson County, effective June 30. She brings fiscal management and budgetary experience to the nonprofit agency from her job as corporate administrative manager for City Electric Parker Co., Watertown. Mrs. Parker has worked for City Electric since 2007, and is chairwoman of the Greater WatertownNorth Country Chamber of Commerce board of directors and secretary of the Workforce Investment Board. A Brownville resident, she is a 1984 graduate of Immaculate Heart Central School and a 2004 graduate of Jefferson Community College, where she earned an associate of science degree in business administration. She also earned a Bachelor of Science degree in economic crime investigating and management from Utica College of Syracuse University.
Hart to lead KPH Healthcare Services
Bridget-Ann Hart has been promoted to president and CEO of KPH Healthcare Services, formerly Kinney Drugs, Gouverneur. Ms. Hart, who most recently served as president of Kinney health care services, has been with the company for more Hart than 30 years. She has held various senior leadership positions within the company in pharmacy and professional services, store operations, human resources, corporate development, and as president and chief operating officer of Kinney Drugs stores.
WPBS-DT recognizes Heuvelton teacher
Sarah Hopper from Heuvelton Central School has been named one of 100 educa-
Got business milestones? n Share your business milestones with NNY Business. Email news releases and photos (.jpg/300 dpi) to editor Ken Eysaman at keysaman@wdt.net. The deadline for submissions is the 10th of the month for the following month’s issue. Photos that don’t appear in print may be posted on our Facebook page. tors selected for the 2014 PBS Learning Media Digital Innovators program. The national program rewards K-12 educators who serve as leaders in education technology by incorporating digital media in classrooms that promotes student engagement and achievement with year-long hands-on and virtual professional development opportunities.
Joins Heath Photography
Redwood native John Donovan has joined the staff at Heath Photography as a photographer and design artist. Mr. Donovan is a 1993 Alexandria Central School graduate and a 1996 Mohawk Valley Community College graduate. He holds an Donovan associate degree in marketing and photography. Mr. Donovan also brings to the company skills as a technology, customer relations and marketing specialist. He lives in Redwood.
St. Lawrence University elects new trustees
St. Lawrence University recently elected Michael W. Arpey and Earl A. “Trip” Samson III to sixyear terms to its board of trustees, effective June 1. A St. Lawrence graduate, Mr. Arpey was a member of Phi Kappa Sigma and a delegate to the board of trustees. He was a Samson member of Omicron Delta Kappa and graduated with honors. As an alumnus, he has volunteered as a Laurentian Admissions Associate and served as a Laurentian-in-Residence panelist. He was
Please see People, page 14
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June 2014 | NNY Business
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NNY
Economic indicators Average per-gallon milk price paid to N.Y. dairy farmers April 2014 $2.23 March 2014 $2.23 April 2013 $1.72
29.7%
ECON SNAPSHOT
Vehicles crossing the Thousand Islands, OgdensburgPrescott and Seaway International (Massena) bridges
Source: NYS Department of Agriculture
430,541 in April 2014 381,319 in March 2014 389,311 in April 2013
Average NNY price for gallon of regular unleaded gas
Source: T.I. Bridge Authority, Ogdensburg Bridge & Port Authority, Seaway International Bridge Corp.
April 2014 $3.78 March 2014 $3.74 April 2013 $3.75
U.S.-Canadian dollar exchange rate (Canadian dollars per U.S. dollar)
0.8%
Average NNY price for gallon of home heating oil
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(Percent gains and losses are over 12 months)
April 2014 $3.94 March 2014 $4.15 April 2013 $3.82
3.1%
10.6%
$1.10 on April 30, 2014 $1.11 on March 31, 2014 $1.02 on April 22, 2013
7.8%
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of N.Y.
Average NNY price for gallon of residential propane
Nonagriculture jobs in the Jefferson-Lewis-St. Lawrence counties area, not including military positions
April 2014 $3.52 March 2014 $4.04 April 2013 $3.02
89,000 in April 2014 88,100 in March 2014 88,800 in April 2013
16.6%
0.23%
Source: NYS Energy Research and Development Authority
Source: NYS Department of Labor
Jefferson-Lewis Board of Realtors single-family home sales
St. Lawrence Board of Realtors single-family home sales
66, median price $133,040 in April 2014 64, median price $97,500 in March 2014 63, median price $147,000 in April 2013
33, median price $70,000 in April 2014 21, median price $76,000 in March 2014 29, median price $46,750 in April 2013
4.8% Sales
9.5% Price
Source: Jefferson-Lewis Board of Realtors Inc.
13.8%
49.7%
Sales
Price
Source: St. Lawrence Board of Realtors Inc.
NNY unemployment rates Jefferson County
8.2%
April ’14
10.1%
March ’14 April ’13
10.1%
St. Lawrence County April ’14
7.7%
March ’14 April ’13
9.2%
9.4%
Lewis County April ’14
8.7% 10.7%
March ’14 April ’13
10.5%
Source: New York State Department of Labor (Not seasonally adjusted. Latest available data reported.) ** Latest available data reported due to annual data updates at the New York State Department of Labor. Note: Due to updates in some “Econ. Snapshot” categories, numbers may differ from previously published prior month and year figures.
Economic indicators New automobiles (cars and trucks) registered in Jefferson County Cars 523 in April 2014 461 in March 2014 491 in April 2013
6.5%
Trucks 111 in April 2014 105 in March 2014 92 in April 2013
NNY
20.7%
Source: Jefferson County Clerk’s Office
Passengers at Watertown International Airport
Open welfare cases in Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties
3,695 inbound and outbound in April 2014 3,232 inbound and outbound in March 2014 2,957 inbound and outbound in April 2013
2,241 in April 2014 2,208 in March 2014 2,055 in April 2013
9.05%
25.0% Source: Jefferson County Board of Legislators
DBA (doing business under an assumed name) certificates filed at the Jefferson County Clerk’s office May 8 to May 30, 2014. For a complete list of DBAs filed in May and in past months, visit WWW.NNYBIZMAG.COM.
May 30: St. Lawrence Scuba Co., 8059 County Route 125, Chaumont, Jason P. Robbins, 23497 Riverview Drive, Dexter Flora Fishing Charters, 38076 Route 12E, Clayton, Phillip Flora, 38706 Route 12E, Clayton Neal Tooley Construction, 26410 Alverson Road, Evans Mills, Neal Tooley, 26410 Alverson Road, Evans Mills Ashley Acres and Logging, 24116 County Route 16, Evans Mills, Jamie E. Ashley, 24116 CR 16, Evans Mills New Life Media, 12291 County Route 5, Chaumont, Jason J. Clement, 12291 County Route 5, Chaumont Tastevin, 22341 Route 180, Dexter, Tomm L. and Marsha A. Maxon, 14685 Bay Breeze Way, Dexter Lake Ontario Vineyard Estate, 14685 Bay Breeze Way, Dexter, Tomm L. and Marsha A. Maxon, 14685 Bay Breeze Way, Dexter River Connections, 880 James St., Clayton, Alexandra E. Buduson, 880 James St., Clayton Allen Lowry Enterprises, 6307B Main St., Fort Drum, Scott A. Lowry, 6307B Main St., Fort Drum MAY 28: Amplify Rehabilitation, 17217 Sandy Creek Valley Road, Watertown, Heather Jones, Sarah Ainsworth, Lyndsey Fellows, 17217 Sandy Creek Valley Road, Watertown Grant Design, 237 Riverside Ave., Theresa, Kane E. Grant, 237 Riverside Ave., Theresa
28534 County Route 192, Redwood MAY 21: Valley View Farm, 7834 Route 11, Adams, Randolph E. and Melissa M. Fone, 7834 Route 11, Adams Grant and Communications, 16790 County Route 156, Watertown, Victoria L. Perry, 16790 County Route 156, Watertown MAY 20: Isabella Sofia Photography, 1150 State St., Watertown, Isabella Sofia, 1150 State St., Watertown NNY Speech Improvement, 103 Superior St., Glen Park, Rachel S. Wisner, 103 Superior St., Glen Park KB’s Homemade Haven, 9546-C Mifflin Loop, Fort Drum, Tonisha C. Kennebrew, 9546-C Mifflin Loop, Fort Drum MAY 19: Dorr-Men Builders, 715 Union St., Clayton, Steven F. Dorr, 715 Union St., Clayton City Storage, 320 State St., Watertown, Charles E. Bates, 242 Paddock St., Watertown Lauren Harrienger, 13770 North St., Adams Center, Lauren M. Harrienger, 18836 Game Farm Road., Dexter MAY 15: Power Sports Driveway Doctor, 30899 County Route 143, Felts Mills, Vernon C. Thompson, 30899 County Route 143, Felts Mills Fitness Journey, 19649 Route 12F, Watertown, Martha E. Linan, 19649 Route 12F, Watertown
Pio Pio Birds, 26877 Libby Lane, Evans Mills, Patrick Leibacher, 26877 Libby Lane, Evans Mills
Gaebel Real Estate Services, 937 Gotham St., Watertown, Carolyn J. Gaebel, 937 Gotham St., Watertown
Trickey Framing, 29181 County Route 46, Theresa, Lee M. Trickey, 29181 CR 46, Theresa
MAY 14: Leeson’s Restorations and Property Services, 433 Center St., Cape Vincent, Nicholas F. Leeson, 433 Center St., Cape Vincent
MAY 27: Bees Knees, 321 James St., Clayton, Susan J. Kirtland, 44780 County Route 100A, Wellesley Island
MAY 13: Hinckle Doodle, 26785 Libby Lane, Evans Mills, Jessica M. Vann, 26785 Libby Lane, Evans Mills
Eternally Thirsty, 550 Factory St., Apt. A, Watertown, Chelsea V. Gaboury, 550 Factory St., Apt. A, Watertown
First Steps In-Home Daycare, 132 Winslow St., Watertown, Easter Y. Thomas, 132 Winslow St., Watertown
Chatterbox Speech and Language Therapy Services, 1218 Gill St., Watertown, Jessie Jo Noordyk Campos, 1218 Gill St., Watertown
Blur, 743 Huntington St., Watertown, Kim M. Johnson, 28774 Route 37, Evans Mills
Rainbow Shores Trailer Park, 16846 Calhoun Road, Clayton, Johnny V. Loy, 16846 Calhoun Road, Clayton
MAY 12: Dark Horse BBQ, 41175 Route 180, Clayton, Perry J. Durgan Jr., 41175 Route 12, Clayton
MAY 23: Peytonbilt Construction, 11526 Fuller Road., Adams Center, Benson Peyton III, 11526 Fuller Road, Adams Center
D.J. Rogers, 23486 Fetterly Road, Dexter, Donald J. Meunier, 23486 Fetterly Road, Dexter
Rags and Reads, 11891 Route 11, Adams Center, Ronald J. Rowsam, 7180 County Route 178, Henderson
Ferguson and Rogers, 24231 Route 12, Watertown, Paril R. Ferguson, 24231 Route 12, Watertown, and Donald Meunier, Dexter
Bootleggers Wine and Liquor, 720 James St., Clayton, Abbie Chamerlaine, 14 St. Lawrence Ave., Alexandria Bay
Squeaky Clean Home and Office Detailing Service, 259 Flower Ave. W., Watertown, Tammy E. Romero, 259 Flower Ave. W., Watertown
Myrts Capeway Cottages, 868 E. Broadway, Cape Vincent, Ross F. Gridley Jr., 32528 Route 12E, Cape Vincent
MAY 9: Rusticated Lady, 41673 County Route 21, Redwood, Dale A. Sears, 41673 County Route 21, Redwood
MAY 22: Scordo Partnership, 22755 Fralick Road, Watertown, Patrick J. Scordo, Mark B. Scordo, James P. Scordo, John J. Scordo, 22755 Fralick Road, Watertown
Black Diamond Heat, 29701 Martin Road, N., Evans Mills, Jan A. Martusewicz, 28787 Martin Road, N., Evans Mills
Lady Fagan Seafood, 202 Creekwood Dr., Apt. 2, Watertown, Samaria Ouedeaogo, 202 Creekwood Dr., Apt. 2, Watertown Val’s Maple Kitchen, 28534 County Route 192, Redwood, Valarie L. Bain,
MAY 8: MP Sporthorses, 12880 Bibbins Road, Rodman, Keith and Melanie Harper, 12880 Bibbins Road, Rodman Love, Stewardship and Christ Ministries, 208 Sherman St., Watertown, Chermark Pettigrew, 208 Sherman St., Watertown
TRANSACTIONS
DBAs
Source: Social Service Depts. of Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties
June 2014 | NNY Business
| 13
P E O PLE ON THE MOVE PEOPLE, from page 11 a driving force behind the establishment of the Laurentians Investing in Networking & Careers mentoring program through the office of career services. A member of St. Lawrence University the class of 1980, Mr. Samson earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Thelomathesian Society. As an alumnus, he has been a Laurentian-in-Residence panelist and volunteered in a number of capacities, including career advisor and member of the Reunion Development Committees, Leadership Gifts Committee, President’s Associates Membership Committee, and President’s Circle Membership Committee.
Association recognizes Clayton businessman
Matthew Delaney, owner of C-Clear Window Cleaning, has been named an Honored Member of the National Association of Distinguished Professionals in recognition of his commitment to excellence in window cleaning. A Clayton native, Mr. Delany holds a
14 | NNY Business | June 2014
bachelor’s degree from SUNY Potsdam and opened his business in April 2012 with the premise of operating a small business in his hometown.
Named chief clerk of Watertown City Court
Benjamin J. Cobb has been appointed chief clerk of City Court. Mr. Cobb, Ellisburg, had served as chief clerk of Jefferson County Surrogate Court since 2005. Before that, he was the county’s records management coordinator and historian. No replacement for the clerk position in Surrogate Court has been named.
Covey appointed to run Ontario Bays Initiative
The Ontario Bays Initiative, a nonprofit organization that conserves land in Jefferson County off eastern Lake Ontario, announced that Julie K. Covey has been named the agency’s executive director. Mrs. Covey has worked with Ontario Bays Initiative’s former land steward, Lee Russell, on conservation projects including fieldwork for easements, yearly
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inspections of properties and outreach to landowners. The nonprofit, off Route 12E in the village of Chaumont, covers the eastern Lake Ontario shoreline encompassing the towns of Brownville, Cape Vincent, Ellisburg, Henderson, Hounsfield, LeRay, Lyme and Pamelia. Covey Mrs. Covey graduated from SUNY Oswego with a bachelor’s degree in zoology and a minor in geology. Her fieldwork in Northern New York has included seasonal work as a dune and alvar steward for the Nature Conservancy and fisheries work with the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
BU SIN E SS BRIEF C A S E
St. Joseph’s Hospital donates to Volunteer Transportation Center
The Volunteer Transportation Center, Watertown, recently received a donation from St. Joseph’s Hospital and Health Center, Syracuse, as part of its annual medical destinations campaign. The campaign raises money that helps volunteer drivers provide transportation to north country residents who have no means of transportation to medical appointments across Northern New York.
Drum Health Planning Organization awarded 2014 Jefferson Citation
The Jefferson Community College board of trustees and college president Carole A. McCoy named the Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization as recipient of the 2014 Jefferson Citation. Denise K. Young, FDRHPO executive director, accepted the citation on behalf of the organization at the college’s 50th commencement May 16.
Grocer earns SBA Award
JCP Groceries, Canton, recently received the Small Business Administration’s Small Business Excellence Award. The SBA, the New York Business Development Corp. and NBT Bank selected the grocery chain and its owner, Jeffrey Proulx for the award. Mr. Proulx owns and operates six Save-A-Lot food stores and one UPS Store in St. Lawrence County. He opened his first Save-A-Lot in 2000 in Potsdam with 15 full- and part-time employees. Over the past 14 years, employment has grown to 130 employees. Mr Proulx has plans to open two additional Save-A-Lot stores and hire 40 additional people. Mr. Proulx graduated from Canisius College with a bachelor’s in business management. He lives in Ogdensburg.
Spicy Wench named entrepreneur of year
The New York State Small Business Development Center at Jefferson Community College named Christine Hoffman, Watertown, Entrepreneur of the
Year during its 2014 Entrepreneurs of the Year awards ceremony. She started The Spicy Wench to sell homemade pepper jellies, sauces, and spices. Her products are now sold at several Watertown-area stories through private parties, wine and food events, craft fairs, farmers markets, and a renaissance festival. She has added five employees since inception. In March, the Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce named The Spicy Wench its 2013 Entrepreneur of the Year. In May, the business received a Small Business Excellence Award from the Syracuse District office of the U.S. Small Business Administration as part of its Small Business Week recognitions.
Main Street Chocolates moves to new storefront
Main Street Chocolates, Norwood, recently moved 20½ Main St. Main Street Chocolates owners say the new location is a growth opportunity. They have expanded their offerings to include electronic cigarettes and vapor juice.
June 2014 | NNY Business
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Both Now Available In
Bottles and Draft
Thousand Islands Pale Ale
War of 1812 Amber Ale
For Sackets Harbor Brewing Company Products Contact Doldo Bros. Inc., Watertown, NY 315.788.3300 16 | NNY Business | June 2014
SMAL L BU SIN E SS STA RT UP
“I’m all about living in the now and letting it refresh my spirit. Sailing is that for me. I want people to gain an appreciation for what an art this is.” — Brett E. Kessler, owner, SAIL Ontario NORM JOHNSTON | NNY BUSINESS
BUSINESS
SAIL Ontario (lake charter tours) THE INITIAL IDEA “It was my hobby,” said Brett E. Kessler, who started out trailering a small, 18-foot sailboat to docks along Lake Ontario, venturing out further and further as his maneuvering skills improved. “I learned the principles of sailing through trial and error, and Google,” he joked. But it was while sailing one day with his sons over lunch and a sandwich that he had an epiphany. “This is exactly what I want to do,” he remembered thinking. His personal mantra of enjoying the now became his business motivation. “I’m all about living in the now and letting it refresh my spirit,” he said. “Sailing is that for me.” Mr. Kessler wanted to share the euphoric feeling of sailing with more people. His hobby started to take on a business angle. “There aren’t many consistent chartering opportunities in the area,” he said. And he had already spent three years upgrading his 1976 Sloop. So in 2012, Mr. Kessler, a retired Army lieutenant colonel,
earned his U.S. Coast Guard captain’s license and launched SAIL Ontario.
TARGET CLIENTELE Mr. Kessler isn’t interested in taking out seasoned sailors, but rather, those who have never experienced the feel of steering a boat. “I want people to gain an appreciation for what an art this is,” he said. He hopes to attract young families with children who can experience sailing for the first time. Mr. Kessler offers a 10 percent discount to U.S. and Canadian military members and half off to spouses of deployed soldiers. SAIL Ontario offers half-day, full-day, multiday, sunset or custom sailing trips, including to Canadian ports, for up to six guests. Rates start at $250 for a half-day trip and run $2,250 for a week-long cruise. Prime time to soak up sunshine and enjoying a refreshing swim off the boat are July and August. Also included on half- and full-day sails are light meals of a variety of meats, cheeses, veggies and wine locally sourced by Otter Creek Winery. Trips can be as involved or as uninvolved as guests would like, from turning winches and taking the helm with sailing instruction from Mr. Kessler, to sitting back and relaxing. “I simply want to share that sense of being in the now,” Mr. Kessler said.
THE JOURNEY
Mr. Kessler started sailing in Northern New York while he was stationed at Fort Drum, first from 1994 to 1997 and then from 2005 to his retirement in 2009. Originally from Arizona, Mr. Kessler was drawn back to the north country for its unparalleled outdoor opportunities as well as being a good place to raise his three children. SAIL Ontario is based in Henderson Harbor on the northeast side of Lake Ontario. Mr. Kessler charters his 32-foot Masthead Sloop with a mainsail on a boom, aft of the mast, and a single loose-footed head-sail or jib forward of the mast. Mr. Kessler is part sailor, part philosopher. Even his boat name hails from ancient philosophical thought. Its name, Eudaimonia is what Aristotle called happiness or flourishing. “Sailing helps bring balance,” he said. Mr. Kessler teaches philosophy part time at Colombia College online, SUNY Potsdam and Jefferson Community College. “It’s my intellectual fun outlet,” he said.
IN FIVE YEARS Mr. Kessler expects business to increase this year as sailing should be better due to increased water levels. “I’m living life and enjoying it every step of the way,” he said. “I’m going to continue doing this for as long as I can.” — Grace E. Johnston
WHERE Henderson Harbor | FOUNDED 2012 | WEB www.sail-ontario.com
June 2014 | NNY Business
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C O V E R S T O RY
A river runs through them Alex Bay, Clayton officials eye prosperous future as each develop ways to bolster tourism, economies TEXT BY NORAH MACHIA | PHOTOS BY AMANDA MORRISON
P
ATRICK SIMPSON HAS WORN MANY HATS — MAYOR, RESTAURANT AND MOTEL OWNER, CHARTER CAPTAIN, FISHING GUIDE. HE HAS WORKED in both Alexandria Bay and Clayton for most of his life. There is a certain history and dynamic between the two places, which share the St. Lawrence River, he said. “They are different communities, and they attract different guests,” said Mr. Simpson, who served as the mayor of Alexandria Bay from 2000 to 2007. “Alex Bay is a little more of a tourist town. It has the larger resorts and boat tours, and of course, it has Boldt Castle.” Clayton has its own gems, however, such as the Antique Boat museum, which Mr. Simpson called “the most fantastic museum” for antique wooden boats. In fact, the museum in Clayton has loaned some antique wooden boats that had belonged to George Boldt for display at the Boldt Castle Yacht House in Alexandria Bay, he noted. Clayton is also known for a number of unique stores that tend to be frequented by those who live on the islands, Mr. Simpson said. And there are other historic landmarks, such as the renovated Clayton Opera House and the Thousand Islands Museum. But Alexandria Bay has the River Hospital, which the community fought long and hard to keep it open. It’s a
The St. Lawrence River towns of Clayton, far left photo on facing page, and Alexandria Bay, are roughly 12 miles apart. Officials in each town are working to put past rivalries aside and focus on regional initiatives that could benefit both towns. June 2014 | NNY Business
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COV E R ST O RY
POPULATION: 1,078 year-round village residents — 4,061 entire town MEDIAN INCOME: $36,979 for family MEDIAN AGE: 43 YOU MAY NOT KNOW: Every May there is an annual “Blessing of the Fleet” when boats travel to Casino Island and clergy bless them ST. LAWRENCE RIVER HIGHLIGHT: One of the best freshwater scuba diving sites to explore shipwrecks PATRIOTIC SPIRIT: July 4th Fireworks over Boldt Castle major employer of residents from both Alexandria Bay and Clayton, along with several other river communities, Mr. Simpson noted. Any rivalry that had once existed between the two places appears to becoming a thing of the past, Mr. Simpson said. “The entire area needs to continue to create more reasons to come here and more things to do,” he said. “The last thing we need is to work against each other.” “Nobody can afford to have a rivalry,” he added. Since the villages are just a little over 10 miles apart along Route 12, attracting people to stay at one could benefit the other, as people seek out things to do in both Alexandria Bay and Clayton, Mr. Simpson said.
20 | NNY Business | June 2014
POPULATION: 1,978 year-round village residents — 5,153 entire town MEDIAN INCOME: $42,208 for family MEDIAN AGE: 41 YOU MAY NOT KNOW: Budget Travel Magazine named Clayton “One of the Coolest Small Towns in America” in 2011 ST. LAWRENCE RIVER HIGHLIGHT: Also one of the best freshwater scuba diving sites to explore shipwrecks PATRIOTIC SPIRIT: July 3rd Gala Fireworks Display Downtown
For example, the new $22.5 million luxury hotel built in Clayton on the site of the former Frink snowplow factory that is scheduled to open this summer will draw even more people to the Thousand Islands region, he said. The new St. Lawrence Riverfront 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel, was developed by the Buffalo-based Krog Corp. and Hart Hotels. A large advertisement taken out by Hart Hotels in an official “Destination Clayton” visitor guide not only markets its 105 guest rooms, grand ballroom and conference center, but also lists nearby area attractions in both the villages of Clayton and Alexandria Bay. At the same time, three resort hotels in Alexandria Bay have been undergoing major renovations, including the Edge-
wood, the Riveredge Resort and the Bonnie Castle Manor, Mr. Simpson said. The Bonnie Castle Manor was purchased for $2.7 million by four family members – Cathy Fiacco-Garlock, her husband Craig S. Garlock, Cindy FiaccoLozo (Cathy’s sister), and her husband, Robert Lozo. In an earlier interview, they reported investing more than $3 million in the property, including completely renovating rooms, the lounge, office, and the pools. The group has also redone the “Home of the Stars” room, which can accommodate 600 people and has been booked for numerous weddings. Significant improvements were also made in the resort’s dining areas and at its boat marina.
C O V E R S T O RY “They have been doing a great job with all of it,” Mr. Simpson said. Even the rivalry between the two schools in Clayton and Alexandria Bay has been disappearing, Mr. Simpson said. “I remember during the 1960s, there was a huge rivalry, especially between the two football teams,” he said. Now, students from Alexandria Bay and Clayton have joined forces to play together on sports teams, such as the hockey league, he said.
Town of Clayton Supervisor Justin A. Taylor agreed. The rivalries between Clayton and Alexandria Bay often involved high school sports, but now are “a thing of the past,” he said. “Some of Cape Vincent, Clayton and Alex Bay sports teams have merged, which has brought all three of the River communities closer,” he said. Mr. Taylor said “as a region, we know that a key to success is to collaborate and
work together.” “Our Highway, Fire, Police and Emergency Medical Services work cooperatively and for the betterment of the region,” he said. “Each of our communities has something special to offer those who want to live or visit in each, and in many instances the visitor will seek venues, events and activities in each community.” It was a collaboration among Clayton town and village officials that led to the formation of the Clayton Local Develop-
June 2014 | NNY Business
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COVE R ST O RY The development of the 1000 Islands ment Corp., and eventually the purchase Harbor Hotel is “huge, and it’s brought of the former Frink America site. a renewed sense of optimism, and the The snowplow manufacturing company had been at the location for 70 years, potential for so many opportunities,” the director added. providing steady employment for the If the number of visitors to Clayton area’s blue collar workers. After about starts to increase significantly year-round, 20,000 of contaminated soil was removed the Antique Boat Museum may consider from the site, and economic development staying open throughout the year, Mr. grants were secured, planning began for Hager said. the luxury hotel. “We would want to address the pos“We communicated and listened to sibility,” he said. “We have indoor exhibits the community and developed goals in several buildings that could stay open and a plan, collaborated with other local, in the winter.” county, state and federal agencies,” Mr. Kathy Danielson, owner of the Lyric Taylor said. “The 10-year implementation Coffee Shop in downtown Clayton, said of the plan came to fruition with the sale, her business has always stayed open development and construction that will year-round, but the lead to the addition of the new opening of hotel should help the 1000 Isto increase visiland Harbor tors in the winter Hotel this months. summer.” “Clayton has alOther ways been the jewretail busiel of St. Lawrence, nesses in — Dale Hunneyman, it’s always been a Clayton may supervisor, Town of Alexandria special place,” she now consaid. “Many store sider staying open year-round if the hotel attracts even owners downtown are excited about the more visitors to the area, he said. future prospects that the hotel will bring.” Clayton has had several new busiHer business, which expanded from a nesses open in recent years, including the coffee house to a Bistro, is now developClayton Distillery featuring homegrown, ing into a venue for artists and musicians handcrafted spirits, and River Golf Adto showcase their work. The owner has ventures, an 18-hole Mini Golf Course and started “open mike nights” for all ages, Driving Range, located on Route 12. from teenagers to senior citizens, and has There are also businesses that have also scheduled several musical perforbeen established in the village, but are mances at the bistro this summer. looking at expanding their offerings with “The open mike night is a wholesome the future opening of the new hotel. activity, and gives people the chance to That includes the Antique Boat Muexpose their talents and gifts,” she said. seum, said director Fritz Hager. The business also carries the work of “The new hotel will only benefit us,” local artists for sale. he said. “We’ve already had people call“We have the St. Lawrence River, but ing us who are planning to attend our so does Alex Bay,” Ms. Danielson said. annual boat show and asking when it will “They’ve always had the big resorts that open.” would draw large numbers of people to The museum will celebrate the 50th stay there.” anniversary of it Antique Boat show this Clayton, however, has always had August. The annual event draws people smaller motels, but “we’ve never had such from throughout New York State and a large hotel in downtown, and that really the country to view the vast collection of has the potential to draw visitors yearboats on display, including canoes, skiffs, round,” she said. race boats and cruisers. “A lot of good things have been hap“There is nothing like this anywhere in pening in Clayton, and the hotel is like the North America,” Mr. Hager noted. icing on top of the cake,” she said.
“
We do have that party town image hanging over our heads. But now we are trying to change some things. We’ve got some ideas on how to improve our image.
22 | NNY Business | June 2014
C OV ER S TORY Dale Hunneyman, Town of Alexandria supervisor, said the town is moving forward with economic development planning. “We have compared ourselves to Clayton in the past, but I think that rivalry is disappearing,” he said. “We’ve recognized that every town has its own niche.” In fact, Mr. Hunneyman said he’s consulted with Clayton town officials, as well as other municipalities in the Thousand Islands region, to exchange ideas for economic growth and tourism in the region. “You can’t do it alone,” he said. “That’s why you don’t see the competition as much. We’re all trying to work together.” It’s the same approach taken by the 1000 Islands International Tourism Council, which has been promoting tourism in the area and across the border in Canada for decades, Mr. Hunneyman said. Their approach has always encouraged cooperation among municipalities to attract visitors to the area, he added. Although the Town of Alexandria has had an economic development committee for a number of years, it’s recently been “reactivated and has a new energy level,” Mr. Hunneyman said. The Committee, called “20/20 Vision Committee,” includes business owners, Jefferson County officials and a representative from State Sen. Pattie Riche’s office, he said. The group just held its third meeting and invites anyone to attend future ones as well, he said. One issue that has been raised is changing the perception that some people have of Alexandria Bay, Mr. Hunneyman said. “We do have that party town image hanging over our heads,” he said. “But now we’re trying to change some things. We’ve got some ideas on how to improve our image.” For example, the committee is looking at sidewalk and lighting improvements in the downtown area, he said. Other suggested ideas include closing off a street designated especially for foot traffic around shops - a concept popular in European countries, Mr. Hunneyman said. “We’ve been meeting with village official to discuss shared services,” he said. “We also realize you can’t just count on tourism, but you must think outside the box as well.” Susan Boyer, director of the Alexan-
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dria Bay Chamber of Commerce, said the organization has been working to develop more “family-friendly” events for people of all ages. “Unfortunately some people think we are just a party town,” she said. “Since the 1960s, it’s a stigma that’s stayed with us.” The chamber has targeted specific events, such as Pirates Days, to make them appeal to more families, she said. That event, which had started as a weekend celebration featuring performers acting out battles to “siege” the village, has been expanded in recent years to offer more family-friendly activities during the week, such as reptile shows, she said. Events sponsored by the chamber are typically free because of the growing support from sponsors and merchants in the community, she added “We want people to know there is always something going on in the Bay” for those of all ages, Ms. Boyer said. Increased publicity about events in both Clayton and Alexandria Bay can be mutually beneficial, said the president of the Clayton Chamber of Commerce. Over the years, “Alexandria Bay and Clayton have come together to promote each other and the Thousand Islands Region as a whole,” said Christopher Bogenschutz, who also owns Riverside Media in Clayton. “Our goal is to provide the visitors to the Thousand Islands the best experience possible.” he said. “Both towns have different attractions and by cross promoting the two towns, it gives visitors more to do and extend their stay.” Visitors to Clayton will also notice another improvement in addition to the new hotel, he noted. “The village has obtained multiple grants to redevelop the Riverwalk, which has enhanced the beauty and walk ability of the riverfront for visitors and residents of Clayton,” he said. The continued “growth and improvement to properties should make an already beautiful destination even more attractive for visitors and people to live or start a business,” he added. n NORAH MACHIA is a freelance writer who lives in Watertown. She is a 20-year veteran journalist and former Watertown Daily Times reporter. Contact her at norahmachia@gmail.com.
Matt Eggleston, Watertown, is a bird decoy designer and manufacturer who has seen early success as an entrepreneur.
NORM JOHNSTON | NNY BUSINESS
FLYING SOLO
How three men decided to risk it all and go it alone By GRACE E. JOHNSTON
I
NNY Business
t’s easy to work hard when you love what you do. To understand passion, look into the eyes of an entrepreneur. Local serial entrepreneur Marc S. Compeau echoes the age-old and seemingly elementary concept about business success: “Don’t spend more money than you take in or are committed to receiving.” According to Mr. Compeau, former director of Clarkson University’s Reh Center for Entrepreneurship and a Clarkson business professor, an important key to success in business is to not grow yourself out of it. “New revenue is exciting,” he said. “But watch your pace of growth, because growth also costs money. Understand true costs.”
Mr. Compeau asserts the importance of understanding value-added propositions. “Don’t ignore the initial cost of investment,” he said. Whether it be education, training or equipment, consider value-added costs to determine price points and do so before making decisions on capital investment. “Make sure demand is there before you consider growth,” he said. “Raise your price first.” So how do three Watertown entrepreneurs measure up to this sage advice? A BIRDSEYE VIEW Watching huge flocks of snow geese swirl down from the sky, amid a cacophony of honking, is a little like standing inside a snow globe. Hunting snow geese requires hard work and specialized strategies, but those who learn the tricks find it immensely rewarding. Arguably, few
outdoor experiences can compare with being at the center of a swirling-vortex of several thousand squawking snow geese settling into a decoy spread. Matthew J. Eggleston, President and CEO of Field King Decoys has designed a new breed of decoys to maximize the exhilarating rush of bird hunting. As a young boy, Mr. Eggleston wandered out to the lake behind his grandparent’s house in Sackets Harbor to watch and listen to the squawking, cawcawing, flapping and gliding. “I’d spend hours watching the birds,” he said. The hunting bug had bitten. Mr. Eggleston began with pigeons. “I started researching decoys, but the only ones I could find came from England and were frail and expensive,” he said. Mr. Eggleston endeavored to make his first pigeon decoy in 2007 from June 2014 | NNY Business
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a plastic soda bottle. The design began as a flat profile view of the bird, but he quickly realized that with an interlocking feature, he could dramatically increase the realistic look of the bird and replicate its body shape from an overhead view — the bird’s view. He enrolled in an ornithology class at Jefferson Community College in 2009 to learn more about the science of birds. He was constantly seeking to perfect his decoy designs, and studying the anatomically correct structure and contour of the different birds was vital in perfecting his patterns. “I kept designing and re-designing untill I had it right,” he said. He devised a free-floating decoy stake system with a one-third weight ratio, so that as wind direction changed, so would the direction of the decoys. “That’s what keeps them so realistic,” Mr. Eggleston said. He also came up with a stenciling process to mimic the feather patterns of the birds. “We build contour through layering the design,” he said. Likewise, he developed a new process of flocking which gives a feather-like luster to the decoy. As a hunting guide, Mr. Eggleston had the added benefit of testing his decoys with every slight design change. “They’ve been more thoroughly fieldtested than you could probably imagine,” he laughed. He has permission to hunt on more than 50 farm properties throughout the region. When setting up a snow goose decoy spread, Mr. Eggleston erects about 2,500 decoys. “That’s the magic number,” he said. “Snow geese travel in such high numbers that you need to replicate that.” He has designed these lightweight, collapsible decoys using sections of corrugated, interlocking pieces of plastic that create lifelike 3D replicas of the most frequently hunted bird species. His designs include decoys for mallard ducks, snow geese, Canadian geese, crows, turkeys, pigeons, doves and owls for crow hunting. His designs are arguably the most realistic on the market. “When the predators started hitting them, I knew we had it right,” Mr. Eggleston said.
FEATURES The cost is also fractional compared to any other similar decoy. Typical fullbody decoys cost about $120 for a set of four and are cumbersome to transport and time consuming to setup. Field King Decoys can offer a dozen of their lightweight, interlocking, realistic decoys for the same price. Mr. Eggleston’s designs allow for assembly and disassembly in seconds, coupled with extreme portability. More than 100 decoys can fit in a single saddle bag. His decoys are the only ones of their kind and are fully patented and copyrighted. Mr. Eggleston began decoy manufacturing full-time in April at his new 1,500-square-foot shop, located in Watertown’s Empsall Plaza. “There are so many facets to making everything complete,” he said. But with an efficient assembly line process, he’s producing more than 1,000 decoys per week. Finding time to sleep can be a challenge. “I just work in a triangle,” he joked. Mr. Eggleston works in the decoy shop during the week, is a bouncer at the Nautical Turtle in the evenings and is a Black River Whitewater Raft Guide with Adirondack River Outfitters on the weekends. “It’s a rigorous schedule,” he said. “But it’s definitely in my fiber to work hard.” Mr. Eggleston has six principal investors involved in the company. Most notably is Greg Zipadelli, a NASCAR crew chief and co-host of Drop Zone on the Outdoors Channel. “They’ll be handling the marketing side of the business,” Mr. Eggleston said. Field King Decoys is preparing to present its five main species to Bass Pro Shop and expects to be in full production by September. To fill the order, Mr. Eggleston is on-schedule to manufacture 6,000 snow geese decoys, 1,200 Canadian geese decoys, 1,200 crow decoys, 1,800 mallard duck decoys and 1,200 turkey packs. “It’s a lot of work and it’s all me,” he said. After years of watching, listening, designing and perfecting, Field King Decoys could be on the brink of its own Duck Dynasty phenomenon. “No beard for me, though” Mr. Eggleston joked. “It’s proof that even from a small town like this, something big can happen,” he said.
June 2014 | NNY Business
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JUSTIN SORENSEN | NNY BUSINESS
Jordan Durant stands outside his Computech office in the Carbone Plaza on Coffeen Street, Watertown.
TAKING THE WORK OUT OF NETWORKS CompuTech is a two-year computer repair start-up based in Watertown. Uniquely positioned to support commercial and residential informationtechnology needs, CompuTech has seen quantum growth in demand for services since owner Jordan R. Durant ventured into business with only $600 to his name. From hardware and software issues to server and networking needs, CompuTech provides every aspect of IT support from the ground up. It provides comprehensive softwarerelated support to more than 50 local businesses, guaranteeing within-the-hour service and around-the-clock remote support, daily. “Every employee at a business I service has my number taped to their desk,” Mr. Durant said. CompuTech has about 60 business clients and approximately 700 PCs directly under Mr. Durant’s control. “I’m a huge believer in remote support,” he said. Mr. Durant uses support tools to connect to a remote computer or server 28 | NNY Business | June 2014
from his smart phone via the Internet, and works directly on the remote system to diagnosis and fix software-related problems almost instantly. This in turn reduces help desk center costs as well as transport-related expenses. “We offer the lowest prices next to our best competitor,” Mr. Durant said. “We’ve built up a tremendous amount of trust with our customers and I believe have grown incredibly fast because of it.” Mr. Durant doesn’t work on contracts with his customers. He genuinely works for each job. “There’s an urgency to get work done quickly and well,” he said. Computers have always been an extreme hobby for Mr. Durant. “I like to solve problems,” he said. “This was my perfect outlet.” But his hobby remained only an outlet until he got a job with Superior Computer Services, Carthage, in 2010. “They turned me into an IT business owner and they didn’t even know it,” Mr. Durant said. In his varied career, Mr. Durant has sold real estate and cars, managed a furniture
store, worked for a nonprofit, been a financial advisor and even worked as a plumber. “Plumbing taught me so much about networking because data moves like water,” he said. “I didn’t see the parallel until I started networking.” His work centers on building virtual tunnels through the Internet. “It’s all spatial,” he said. “It’s why I love it.” And Mr. Durant knows what it is to love what you do, because while working at a central issue facility at Fort Lee, Va., he sorted pants. Eight and a half hours a day, five days a week, for two years, he sorted mountains of military-issue pants into groups of five. Misery was an understatement for Mr. Durant at that time. “I went home and looked for problems to fix on my computer,” he said. “It was my way to decompress.” After working with Superior Computer services for two years, Mr. Durant went out on his own in 2012 with less than $1,000 in his bank account. “Benefit Services Group was my first client and thankfully everything snowballed from there,” he said.
FEATURES A Carthage native, Mr. Durant knew he had the network to start a business in the north country. He is a member of Business Networking International, a proactive business-to-business referral network. In 2013, the 155,000 members of BNI worldwide passed more than 5.4 million referrals, which resulted in more than $6.5 billion in business, according to BNI. In the Upstate New York chapter alone, more than $1 million in local referrals were generated last year. “Each business is vocation specific,” Mr. Durant said. “And I’m their computer guy now.” CompuTech clients include Massey’s Furniture Barn, Freeman Bus Corp., NTL Appliances, Gateway Liquor, DOCO Quick Print, Lori Gervera Real Estate, Midas Muffler and Benefit Services Group. Mr. Durant started the business with a commercial focus, but hopes to grow its residential side. “We can guarantee a much faster turnaround,” he said. Computers with software-related problems dropped off to the 611 Coffeen St. location before noon can be picked up the same day. Average costs for noncommercial computer repairs are $85. “We’re anticipating huge growth in the residential area of the business,” Mr. Durant said. He also hopes to cater more heavily to the Jefferson Community College campus. “We keep our overhead low,” Mr. Durant said. After one month in a new location, CompuTech is operating in the black. “Everything’s been paid for,” he said. And while profits aren’t off the chart, Mr. Durant explained, it’s not about being rich. “This is my little zygote of a business,” he said. “I’m doing my best to protect and grow it.” For Mr. Durant, it’s an amazing thing to be doing what he loves. “Even on the lowest day, working for myself is better than working for someone else.”
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MAKING THE JUMP For young entrepreneur Alexander L. Mix, a law degree, not a personal training certificate, was in his future. But fate had other plans. “I’m doing pretty well,” he smiled. Mr. Mix, owner of MixFit Personal Training, trains about 30 clients on a regular schedule who tange in age from 13 to 61. “I have about as big a range as you can get,” he said.
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Entrepreneur Alexander L. Mix traded a career in banking and plans for a law degree for a personal training certificate to venture out on his own.
He graduated from SUNY Buffalo in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in legal studies and philosophy, with the intention to one day attend law school. But while living in New York City during the economic downturn that began that same year, Mr. Mix was smacked with the reality of out-of-work lawyers and weighty education debt. A Carthage native, Mr. Mix abandoned plans for law school and moved back to Watertown in 2009, securing a job with HSBC in branch operations, which he held for the next three years. He began boxing at the Black River Boxing Academy under head coach and trainer Charles V. Berkman and quickly became addicted to fitness and working out hard. “I loved the feeling I got when I pushed myself to my limits, knowing I was getting stronger every day,” he said. His self-made workouts drew a following from friends. “I found I enjoyed teaching what I knew,” Mr. Mix said. “And they seemed 30 | NNY Business | June 2014
to want what I knew.” He began to think that maybe he was on to something. “I set up track workouts for 5:30 a.m., and a half-dozen people would show up. To run sprints,” he laughed. That was the encouragement he needed. When HSBC moved out of the north country in 2012, Mr. Mix left the industry. “It was nerve-racking,” he said. I had no money, but I was gung ho about doing this.” He secured a personal training certificate and became a functional fitness instructor for the YMCA from January 2012 to May 2013. “It was like a self-imposed internship,” Mr. Mix said. He set up a small training area in his Paddock Arcade apartment with his first three clients in November 2012. He had four more by December and has grown to capacity simply through word of mouth, never spending a dime on advertising. “It grew from three to as many as I can
handle,” he said. “Owning my own business was always something I wanted. I just didn’t think it would happen this soon.” He works six days a week, often for 10 and 11 hours a day. “It wears me out sometimes, but I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he said. Mr. Mix wasn’t always an athlete. At 28, his passion for training only goes back three years. Perhaps more than other trainers, his uniqueness comes from the fact that he hasn’t always been a pristine athlete. “I also wonder if I was a little stilted,” he said. Mr. Mix had leukemia at the fragile age of 3. “I can relate to clients. They know I’ll push myself just as hard as I’m asking them to do in a workout,” he said. “If you relate to people, you’ll get remarkable results.” And he’s seen them. “It’s been so rewarding to see the results of weight loss and strength increase in my clients,” Mr. Mix said. “You can really change someone’s life.”
FE AT U RE S Mr. Mix is creative in his workout designs and within the past three years has conceived hundreds of unique, individualized workouts for friends and clients. “I like seeing people start to enjoy working out when they might’ve hated it before,” he said. His go-to exercises are compound exercises: squats, push-ups and plyometrics, also known as jump training, a technique designed to increase muscular power and explosiveness. “I’m more into strength training myself,” he said.
Dr. Ronald J. Knox
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His favorite lifts are the Olympic, snatch and clean and jerk. Both are extremely technical and dynamic, requiring enormous amounts of explosive strength. His studio gym is above the Black River Adventurers Shop, 129 Mill St., Watertown. Personal training sessions are 50 minutes, $25/single person and $40/two people. “You don’t need much to get in shape,” Mr. Mix said. “Just a little instruction and willpower.” n GRACE E. JOHNSTON is a staff writer and editorial assistant for NNY Magazines. Contact her at gjohnston@wdt.net or 661-2381.
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FE AT U R E S
AMANDA MORRISON | NNY BUSINESS
Wood Boat Brewery co-owners Michael Hazlewood, left, and Lance Peterson, right, hold up growlers at the bar of the new brewery in Clayton, which is opening this month across the street from the Antique Boat Museum on Mary Street. It will offer a diverse range of craft brews and local wines.
A new watering hole Pub across from boat museum offers local beers, spirits By TED BOOKER
S
NNY Business
eated at the newly built front deck at Clayton Wood Boat Brewery, diners will have a vantage point of watercraft gliding along the St. Lawrence River. They’ll also have a view of the Antique Boat Museum from the brewery at 625 Mary St., which is opening this month. The brewery is co-owned by Michael J. Hazlewood and Lance L. Peterson, both Clayton businessmen, and Steven Cook of Atlanta, Ga. The building, previously occupied by Mar’s Pizzeria and the Harbor Inn, was leased by the three partners last spring from property owner James B.
32 | NNY Business | June 2014
Cumming after sitting vacant for about three years. The brewery, which will offer a diverse range of craft brews and wines, soon is expected to receive state and federal brewer’s licenses needed for it to open, said Mr. Hazlewood, who also owns Hazlewood Mechanical Inc. “This seemed to be something the village needed,” he said. “I’ve always been making beers myself, and I thought doing this would be fun. And I thought it would be a shame if nothing was
done with this building.” Along with its large outdoor deck built last winter, which will seat about 70 people, those who visit the establishment this summer will notice the building has been completely overhauled, Mr. Hazlewood said. Its dining area, which will seat 52 people, features a 30-foot mahogany bar. Behind the bar is a large fireplace equipped with a brick oven, built by Morgia Masonry of Clayton, that will be used to cook artisan pizzas. The menu also will include an array of deli
FE AT UR E S sandwiches and appetizers. Mr. Hazlewood said the other co-owners invested about $300,000 — $100,000 apiece — to transform the old building and purchase brewery equipment over the past year. The microbrewery’s sevenbarrel production system was custombuilt by Bridgetown Brew Systems of Portland, Ore. The business will offer just one of its own craft brews when it opens, but six to eight varieties of ales and lagers eventually will be on tap when the production system is operating at full capacity, Mr. Hazlewood said. Fifteen employees will staff the brewery, but that will bump up to 20 during the peak summer months of July and August, he said. A diverse selection of craft beers, wines and spirits also will be offered, Mr. Hazlewood said. He said the brewery will form partnerships to sell products from Coyote Moon Winery, Thousand Islands Winery, Clayton Distillery and Sackets Harbor Brewing Co. “We have an entry-level system that can only produce so much beer in a year, so having a variety of local craft beer and wine will help,” he said. “I want people to come, sit on the deck, experience some local products and take some home with them.” Three upper-level apartments above the brewery were renovated last year as a component of the project, Mr. Hazlewood said, and they are now occupied by tenants. Mr. Peterson, who also owns St. Lawrence River Dogs and Peterson’s Painting in Clayton, said that Mr. Hazlewood persuaded him to invest in the brewery.
“Mike called me up one day and said, ‘Hey, buddy, I’ve got a good idea for a business but need a partner.’ I told him that I’ve never partnered up on anything in my life, but I liked his plan,” Mr. Peterson said. Mr. Peterson said he believes the brewery will lure steady traffic from visitors to the Antique Boat Museum during the summer. “I think the museum will play a major role, and we’re the only restaurant on
this side of town,” he said. “We’re away from downtown here, but still within walking distance. I think it’s a little bit more private here than downtown. People will be able to sit outside and not see a lot of traffic.” The brewery will be open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week. It will remain open during the winter. n TED BOOKER is a Johnson Newspapers staff writer. Contact him at tbooker@wdt.net or 661-2371.
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FE AT U R E S
David H. Lunman, owner of Lunman’s Furniture, 70 N. Main St, Adams, is closing the business after selling its furniture inventory through this month. The 8,640-squarefoot building was sold Thursday to South Jefferson Physical Therapy. NORM JOHNSTON | NNY BUSINESS
END OF AN ERA
Lunman’s Furniture to close after store’s 62-year run By TED BOOKER
D NNY Business
avid H. Lunman, well known as a meticulous craftsman of kitchens, has sold Lunman’s Furniture and Appliance Center to South Jefferson Physical Therapy, finishing a 62-year run at 70 N. Main St. The 8,640-square-foot building was sold last month for $250,000 to South Jefferson Physical Therapy, Mr. Lunman said. Lunman’s will stay open through the end of June to sell its remaining inventory. The physical therapy clinic will relocate from its present location at 10924 Route 11 in Adams. Mr. Lunman, who is originally from Belleville, said his decision to sell the business to South Jefferson Physical
34 | NNY Business | June 2014
Therapy came unexpectedly. The topic arose during one of his physical therapy sessions in January at the Adams clinic with Heather A. Miller, who co-owns the business with Joel H. Grimshaw. “Heather asked me if I had extra space to rent,” said the 58-year-old, who resides in Watertown with his wife, Kathleen A. “I said no, because I have to use every inch of space here. But I told her I am getting older and could be interested in selling the building. That same night, they called me back to make an offer.”
DEEP FAMILY ROOTS Mr. Lunman’s father, Jack P., opened the business in March 1952. Jack bought the building shortly after it opened from his older brother, Kyler F., for whom he once
worked at a car dealership in Adams that is now owned by Fucillo Chevrolet. Before it became Lunman’s, the building was operated as a farm machinery dealership that sold Allis-Chalmers equipment. Lunman’s sold electronic appliances mainly when it first opened, including Zenith television sets and radios. Its inventory originally included only two refrigerators, a pair of television sets, six radios and one electric range. But Lunman’s evolved numerous times over the past six decades, changing its business model to survive. In 1955, the business launched its Mobil-flame bottled-gas service. Its first addition was built in 1958 to provide a workshop, garage and display space in the rear of the building. The gas service
FE AT UR E S was discontinued in the mid-1960s to make room to sell furniture and floor coverings. The building was expanded again in 1967, with a second addition that roughly doubled its size. Electronic appliances were discontinued at the store in 1970, when it began to increase its furniture and kitchen merchandise. As a teenager, Mr. Lunman emulated his father by learning the inner workings of the family business. He began working at the store as a 14-year-old for 25 cents per hour. By shadowing his father as a youngster, he learned how to do a wide range of projects firsthand. As a teen, “I could do anything I wanted here because I had the opportunity — it was my little niche,” Mr. Lunman said, adding that he took more interest in the business than did his other four siblings. “If I wanted to do sales, electrical work, or a repair on furniture or an appliance, I could do it. It was never boring for me. It wasn’t like I was sitting at a desk and doing the same thing all the time.” As a junior at Belleville Henderson High School, he became passionate about learning how to design kitchens. “I forced in three years of mechanical training in my last two years of high school,” said Mr. Lunman, who went on to earn his associate’s degree in business management at Jefferson Community College in 1976. He joined his father as a partner in the business in 1978; in 1984, he bought the building from his father. Mr. Lunman credits his father with teaching him to become a self-reliant business owner. “My father was a go-getter, and he expanded the business on his own,” he said. “Most of the growth of the building came from him — not from me. And I think I followed up behind him as being a jack of all trades. What dad did, I could do. And honestly — not to knock my father — I could do it better.”
“ —
Mr. Lunman always visited homes in person to measure the layout of kitchens accurately. And to hold contractors accountable for their work, he visited several times during construction to ensure everything was done to perfection. “I don’t want mistakes,” he said. “Nobody likes to have problems, and if I can make sure that’s going to eliminate that down the road, the installers and homeowners are going to be happy, and I’m going to get David H. Lunman, second-generation owner, paid. I’ve never had a bad debt on a kitchen. I’ve always been able to Lunman’s Furniture, Adams, on running make everything perfect — no arguthe business his father opened in 1952 ments, no problems.” That work ethic also rubbed off on lifelong customers at the store, including point,” he said, adding that out-of-state 74-year-old Thomas G. Williams, who customers from Florida, Connecticut, shops exclusively at Lunman’s and recMaryland, Idaho, Colorado and Canada ommends his relatives do likewise. Mr. have bought kitchens. “I think every Williams, a longtime Adams resident, customer that I’ve done a kitchen for will was employed by Jack Lunman as an tell you the same thing: I get into more 18-year-old, working there for a sumdetails and go over everything so that mer after graduating from Adams High they truly understand it — many times School in 1958. He recalls being paid before they buy the kitchen — to make $1.25 per hour to sell electronic applisure it’s what they want.” ances and Hoover vacuum cleaners. A self-described stickler for perfection, the owner. In recent years, kitchens have accounted for 60 percent of overall sales. Three of Lunman’s kitchen designs have been published nationally. “The kitchens were the area where I was unique, and I expanded from that
What dad did, I could do. And honestly — not to knock my father — I could do it better.
DEMANDING PERFECTION
During the late 1970s, roughly one-third of Lunman’s business came from the sale of custom-designed kitchens. That figure gradually climbed over the years, though, as Mr. Lunman made kitchen designs the store’s specialty during his tenure as
June 2014 | NNY Business
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Local customers have had a “hometown loyalty” to the store for decades because they have trusted Jack and David Lunman, Mr. Williams said. “Price isn’t always the main object,” he said. The Lunmans “were always upfront. And Dave is always up-front and honest. If you ask him what he thinks, he tells you. And I think there’s a family feeling for the people that have shopped here. There was a comfort in coming here, and a trust. And David has done well in the upscale kitchen because he wants everything to be perfect — he has that reputation.”
LEGACY OF SERVICE Virginia F. Clemens, who has been employed at Lunman’s for 32 years, said that Jack Lunman demanded perfection of all merchandise sold at the store. Those unflinching standards were what gave the small business an edge over its competitors, she said, including big-box retailers. “All furniture that was unpacked had to be perfect to be on the floor. He was fastidious about that,” Ms. Clemens said. Customers were loyal because they realized the quality of service at Lunman’s would not be matched elsewhere, Ms. Clemens said. “If they experienced the service here and decided to go somewhere else, they’d come back say, ‘Blah! I didn’t know what I was doing.’ David would show up at the job site to do the measurements out and verify them, and other places don’t do that,” she said. Ms. Clemens became teary-eyed when asked about the impact Lunman’s has made on the lives of employees. Other long-time employees at Lunman’s include Elizabeth M. Ryder, who has been employed 27 years and still works at the store, and the late Steven R. Vout, who died in October 2013 after working as a full-time deliveryman for 27 years. “It’s family, basically,” Ms. Clemens, pausing for a moment to choose the right words. “We all worked together over the years and supported each other. We had each other’s back.” n TED BOOKER is a Johnson Newspapers staff writer. Contact him at tbooker@wdt.net or 661-2371.
RE AL E STAT E RO U ND UP
Consider needs, options in search
R
ecently, I had the chance to participate in an unusual activity for me — house hunting. Even more unusual, the house is one that neither I, nor any family member, will probably ever live in. How did this come about? After many years of not having a parsonage, the church I attend decided to buy a house. I served on the committee along with six others including a real estate agent and an appraiser who also attend the church. We began by considering our options — renting or buying. Looking at the real estate market in the area, we quickly figured out that renting would be the most expensive option. Rents in our area are higher than many monthly mortgage payments. In addition, there are no guarantees that rent will not increase. While a minister in our denomination serves a church for a short term, the parsonage needs to be a long-term investment. We quickly concluded that it was in our best interest to purchase a property. Like any buyer, we spoke to our agent and gave him the parameters for the house that we wanted. Unlike many buyers, we were given some guidelines from the hierarchy of the church. These included items such as a bedroom on the first floor (or a room that can be converted into a bedroom on the first floor), a first-floor bathroom, at least two places to park cars, etc. In addition, we decided that we would like the minister within a certain distance of the church with preference
to be within the municipality. We ended up looking at five homes and put in a successful offer on one that satisfied our guidelines. Along with some church hierarchy Lance Evans contingencies for approval, we did make it contingent on a home inspection. The process of finding the home went very smoothly. When we entered a property, the committee kept the guidelines from our district and our own discussions at the top of our mind. We had them written down and referred to them often in our discussions in the property and afterward. The conclusion from this reinforces the importance of the buyer thinking about the short- and long-term uses of the property in advance of the search. It would be helpful to rank these as to well so that if a property fits most of the guidelines, but not all, it is not automatically rejected. In our case, not all of the properties that we viewed fit all of our parameters. In the end, it was the one with the best fit that we voted to purchase. n
n n
From May 12 to 16, the National Association of Realtors held its Realtor
Party Conference and Trade Expo in Washington, D.C. The name of the meetings changed this year from the MidYear Meetings and Trade Expo to better reflect the true scope and nature of this event. This is an important gathering of accociation members and association leaders that crosses party lines to get at the heart of real estate market issues. Realtors do not support a particular political party, but support legislators and issues that pertain to real estate and its effect on consumers. In addition to me, Lisa L’Huillier, Hefferon Real Estate, Karen Peebles, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services CNY Realty, Charles Ruggiero, Hefferon Real Estate, and Jennifer Stevenson, Blue Heron Realty, participated in the meetings. While attending, we met with U.S. Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, attended NAR and Women’s Council of Realtors committee meetings, engaged in idea exchanges with other Realtors and staff, and listened to information and updates that will assist in better serving the real estate consumer and market. One note, normally we also meet with our congressional representative, however Congress was not in session during the week we were there. n LANCE M. EVANS is the executive officer of the Jefferson-Lewis Board of Realtors and the St. Lawrence County Board of Realtors. He has lived in the north country since 1985. Contact him at levans@nnymls.com. His column appears monthly in NNY Business.
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R EA L E STATE / TOP TRANSAC T IO N S Top 10 property sales by price recorded in the Jefferson County Clerk’s Office in April 2014: $475,000: April 25, Town of Henderson: Two parcels, 0.33 acres, Henderson Harbor Road, David B. Crandall and Barbara P. Crandall, Henderson, sold to Steven E. Petrillose and Sandra J. Petrillose, Black River $385,000: April 21, Town of Adams: 5 acres, Fuller Road, Paul M. Romeo and Connie R. Romeo, Adams, sold to Jonathan P. Lawlee and Kara J. Lawlee, Adams $370,000: April 25, Town of Ellisburg: Three parcels, no address, no acreage, Joseph J. Widrick and Donna G. Widrick, Adams, sold to Hillcrest Farms LLC, Woodville $350,000: April 3, City of Watertown: No acreage, 501 Mill St., Key Bank N.A., Cleveland, Ohio, sold to Zircon Development LLC, Watertown $335,000: April 17, Town of Alexandria: Part of William Kepler Farm, Wellesley Island, Louise L. Harkins, Baldwinsville, Gerald J. Lasher, Bellona, and Cynthia A. Morris, trustee of the Richard A. and Lorene Lasher Irrevocable Trust, Clay, sold to Susan Kirtland, Syracuse $322,000: April 24, Town of Wilna: 2.982 acres, Strickland Road, Larry Walseman II, Castorland, sold to Samuel A. Rosner and Melinda A. Rosner, Carthage $322,000 $316,000: April 17, Town of Theresa: 4 acres, Schell Road at Coon Bridges Road, Michael J. Jones and Kylie J. Jones, Theresa, sold
to Chad K. Stern and Erin E. Stern, Calcium $315,000: April 28, Town of Pamelia: No acreage, U.S. Route 11 and Plaza Drive, City National Bank, Los Angeles, Calif., sold to Empire Assets Growth LP, Brooklyn $315,000 $300,000: April 29, Town of Alexandria: Two parcels, Manhattan Group of Islands, NBT Bank N.A., Norwich, sold to 1850 Greene Property LLC, Pittsford $287,000: April 9, Town of Clayton: 0.3 acres, 15563 Lyellton Drive, Lynne Anne Pastushan, Cape Coral, Fla., sold to John Wooley and Mary Jean Wooley, Monroe, Conn. Top 10 property sales by price recorded in the St. Lawrence County Clerk’s Office in April 2014: $450,000: April 4, City of Ogdensburg: 3.21 acres more or less, bounded by state Route 37, Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority, Ogdensburg, sold to A.N. Deringer Inc., St. Albans, Vt. $375,000: April 24, Town of Hermon: 0.8 of an acre more or less, bounded by Lumber Road, Ricky D. and Cathy N. Burt (power of attorney), Brian T. Burt, no address given, sold to the Neal Rose and Carol Musser Joint Living Trust, Key Largo, Fla. $315,000: April 25, Town of Colton:1 acre more or less, in Lot 20 of Township 10, bounded by Woods Road, Jodi L. Ensby, Colton, sold to William T. Kirchgasser and Linda L. Seramur, Potsdam $300,000: April 4, City of Ogdensburg: 1 96/1000 acres more or less, being a part of
Lots 7 and 9, bounded by Proctor Avenue, A.N. Deringer Inc., St. Albans, Vt., sold to Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority, Ogdensburg $300,000: April 4: City of Ogdensburg: Three parcels, 1) 1.07 acres more or less, 2) 0.17 of an acre more or less, 3) 0.41 of an acre more or less, bounded by Proctor Avenue and Commerce Drive, Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority, Ogdensburg, sold to Beamko L.P., Ogdensburg $300,000: April 15, Village of Gouverneur: Two parcels, 1) 60/100 of an acre more or less, 2) unknown acres, both bounded by East Main and Sterling streets, Massey Street LLC, Nedrow, sold to Dashnaw’s Pizzeria, Gouverneur $217,000: City of Ogdensburg: Two parcels, unknown acres, bounded by Proctor Avenue and Canning Street, Mark A. and Dianne H. Webster, Ogdensburg, sold to Joshua A. and Joan K. Caruso, Ogdensburg $200,000: April 4, Town of Waddington: 177 75/100 acres more or less, in Mile Square 27, bounded by Cunningham Road, David B. Beldock Sr., Ogdensburg, sold to Mapleview Farms LLC, Madrid $187,500: April 9, Village of Canton: 0.21 of an acre more or less, bounded by State and Goodrich streets, Chad Kenna, Canton, sold to Jeffrey T. Maynes and Khanh Lam L. Tao, Canton $180,000: April 8, Town of Gouverneur: Two parcels, unknown acres, bounded by Barney Street, Stephen A. and Katherine L. Demick, Gouverneur, sold to Timothy J. Monroe and Diane L. Cotter, Gouverneur Top 10 property sales by price recorded in the Lewis County Clerk’s Office in March 2014: $175,000: March 25, Town of Lewis: 4903 Osceola Road, Bradley R. Kaiding, sold to Charles A. Rauscher $144,000: March 24, Village of Turin: 6126 Main St., Mark R. Plucinski Sr., sold to Dale R. Houseworth $135,000: March 24, Village of Lowville: 5392 Davenport Place, Tara R. Staring, sold to Alan J. McDonald $130,000: March 24, Village of Lowville: 5543 Trinity Ave., David John Boyle, sold to Floyd J. Tabolt $115,000: March 24, Town of New Bremen: 6543 Tillman Road, Jeremy Streeter, sold to Jeffrey A. Woolschlager $97,000: March 17, Village of Turin: 4048 West Road, Oakwater Farm LLC, sold to John A. Favor $95,000: March 19, Town of Croghan: 6942 Texas Road, Terry E. Pominville, sold to Todd F. Kloster $87,500: March 7, Town of Osceola: 2104 Fox Private Drive, Kenneth H. Moye, sold to Willow Creek Management LLC $85,500: March 19, Town of New Bremen: 9703 state Route 126, Ronald W. Deitrich, sold to Jeremy S. Streeter $74,000: March 19, Town of Watson: 6691 River Road, Paul B. Jenkins, sold to Ray B. Jenkins
38 | NNY Business | June 2014
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June 2014 | NNY Business
| 39
20 QU E ST I ONS
JUSTIN SORENSEN | NNY BUSINESS
Guarding public treasures
T
he Thousand Islands Region of the New York State Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation is a crown jewel in the north country’s tourism crown. Managing a peak season staff of more than 400 and an anual operating budget of around $8.5 million, Regional Director Kevin A. Kieff oversees infrastructure, security, safety, construction, campgrounds, boat launches and beaches where tens of thousands of vacation memories are made. We sat down with Mr. Kieff to learn about what it takes to direct a state parks region that stretches across four counties from southern Jefferson County on the southwest to Clinton County on the northeast.
1
NNYB: How did you get your start in parks? KIEFF: I had been working for New York Casualty Insurance Company. When they started downsizing I left and opened a bed and breakfast on Mullin Street in Watertown in an old Victorian house that I had refurbished. This director position became vacant and I made my interest known to Jim Wright, then-county Republican chairman, and they made a recommendation to Gov. George Pataki and Commissioner Bernadette Castro, and I was appointed in May 2000.
2
NNYB: What is the extent of your geographic regional oversight? KIEFF: It goes from the east end of Lake Ontario at Southwick’s Beach and north up to the St. Lawrence River and from Cape Vincent to Massena and jumps over the top of the Adirondacks. Our southern border is Oswego County. The central region would be in Oswego County; we cover Jefferson and over to Lake Champlain and Clinton County. We have 24 developed facilities; 23 state parks and the Sackets Harbor Battlefield Historical Society. We also have several standalone boat launches and two golf courses to round out the facilities. Our four counties are Jefferson St. Lawrence, Lewis and Clinton. The
40 | NNY Business | June 2014
n For Kevin A. Kieff, regional parks
director, job brings ‘unbridled joy’
Adirondack Park is managed by the state Department of Environmental Conservation. Total acreage parks region is 16,829; 30 percent is developed and maintained for recreational purposes and 70 percent is left in a natural state.
3
NNYB: How much revenue is generated by park visits and when is your peak season?
KIEFF: Our 2013-14 figure for total visitation, paid and unpaid was just short of $1.7 million. Paid visits are much more accurately tracked at the toll booths where people have contact with us. But when you get into total visitation, which includes boat launch use and people who come in the wintertime when we’re not charging fees, it was just shy of $1.7 million. We like to think that we kick it off a week earlier than Memorial Day because we have a great many faithful Canadian patrons. So we start Victoria Day weekend. We have a park outside of Canton and 80 percent of folks visiting during Victoria Day weekend were Canadian. Our big opening weekend is still Memorial Day. Then it slows down untill school gets out at the end of June. So the end of June to Labor Day is our true peak season.
4
NNYB: What sort of park improvements have you made and how are they funded? KIEFF: Here at Keewaydin we had a very deficient comfort station for our marina patrons. It was built into a hillside and had water filtration problems. It was demolished last fall and has a new building going into relatively the same location. We decided to add to it in addition to getting modern facilities for the patrons, a three-season pavilion on the second story. And it’s turning into a great project. It has a magnificent view over the marina and the St. Lawrence River. It’ll be a very popular addition to the
park. The governor instituted his New York Works Program with respect to our agency infrastructure in state parks and it has been an incredible program, allowing us to start to dig into an infrastructure backlog that goes back decades. The recent investment for the past couple years in this region has now reached about $3 million annually, which is an incredible boost for us to tackle infrastructure projects we’ve wanted to get to for quite some time now.
5
NNYB: How did the recent Rock Island Light restoration project come about? KIEFF: Rock Island Light is financed a bit differently. That was through a federal grant administered by the Department of Transportation. We applied for that twice and were successful in the second application back in 2007. It has been an incredible project to restore an iconic symbol of transportation on the St. Lawrence River. The Rock Island light as a facility had been off limits. The island was accessible, but all its structures were closed. Through the federal grant and a state match, we were able to go in and completely rehabilitate the keeper’s house, the boathouse, the docks and the lighthouse structure itself. And it has turned into an incredibly popular site. Last year, we were just thrilled with the response from lighthouse enthusiasts. It’s one of the few lighthouses in public hands where access to the lantern room is allowed and it’s right there on the channel. It’s a very neat experience in the Thousand Islands and the view is just spectacular.
6
NNYB: What might people not realize about tourism in the north country? KIEFF: I’m not sure it’s always recognized what an economic engine both tourism and state
2 0 Q U E S T I O NS parks are. The number of people we welcome into the state park system in the four-county region here in the north country spreads out into the community and supports restaurants, stores, gas stations, museums and events across the region. A park like Wellesley Island turns into a virtual village in the summer with a couple thousand people there on a fairly regular basis. It just swells. And all those folks are looking for things to do. Our impact tends to be along the lines of camping and fishing. Many projects we’ve done in the parks have been to improve access to fishing on lakes through improvements to our boat launches, ensuring that people who come with boats have ready access to the water and can get in and enjoy boating and fishing activities. The impact is significant and it’s fairly steady. So the multiplier effect of having a camping patron come and stay at a state park just has immeasurable impact on the tourism economy here in the north country.
7
NNYB: How many people do your parks employ? KIEFF: When the patrons are here and we’re welcoming tens of thousands of people into the parks, our employee population swells from 71 permanent staff and brings in about 400 seasonal employees in maintenance, office, registration and lifeguarding. So that certainly is the busiest time for employment. Then we go back to 71 full-time people after Columbus Day weekend. Things start to slow down after that. Parks are closed to camping, but that’s also when our construction season starts up. We try very hard not to interrupt our patron’s vacations with a lot of construction when the parks are open and really running from June to August. So our construction season tends to be from after Labor Day to April, which is certainly not ideal, but that’s the time when we can have the least impact on the people who come to see us. So that’s the busy time for budget, training and construction. We start bringing folks on late April to get the parks open. That’s our long-term seasonal staff. They leave in October to November. Then we hire a great many college students who start to come to us mid-May and leave mid-August. Then the balance of our seasonal staff would be high school kids who come in mid- to late June and hopefully stay until Labor Day.
8
NNYB: What is your seasonal payroll? KIEFF: Our seasonal payroll is in the range of $2 million. That ranges from minimum wage to folks who have been returning to us for several years. Permanent staffing levels are in the range of about $4.5 million, so about $6.5 million in payroll. Park police is separate from that. On top of those expenditures, we run about another $2 million in operational expenses keeping the parks in supplies and maintenance. In construction funds, we have run anywhere from a low to $600,000 in lean years to about $3 million we received this past year in capital funds to do park buildings and improvements.
9
NNYB: How do you prioritize projects in such a large parks region? KIEFF: We have a five-year list and are constantly evaluating that. For many years we had projects we knew we just wouldn’t get to. When we had $600,000 to $900,000 to spend in capital funds across the four-county region with 23 state parks, it was hard to get it to spread that far when an average comfort station in the park built by contract was running in the range of $400,000. So it didn’t go as far as we would wish but we prioritized and
JUSTIN SORENSEN | NNY BUSINESS
Kevin A. Kieff, director for the Thousand Islands Region of the state Department of Parks and Recreation, talks about the post he’s held for 14 years in his office at Keewaydin State Park near Alexandria Bay. picked off projects as we could. Now instead of doing one project a year, we’re doing three and four and have been for several years now to the point where every park in the system has had a new toilet shower building added to it and the bigger facilities have had several. So it’s been quite a process of getting caught up with a lot of the things that needed work, had outlived their useful life in the system and needed to be replaced.
10
NNYB: How was Keewaydin State Park on the St. Lawrence chosen for your office? KIEFF: It is a pleasantly distracting and beautiful office location. I love history so I’ve enjoyed park history as well. For many years, this office was in the basement of the House of the Good Samaritan in Watertown. This property in Keewaydin was a private estate, considered one of the finest in the area. Unfortunately, the Queen Ann Victorian mansion that stood on the hillside above the marina was torn down before this agency also became the home of historic preservation and become sensitive to those kinds of issues. So we missed that. And I’m sure those who did it would probably regret that decision in the early 1960s. But this office here on the river is a wonderful location from which to operate.
11
NNYB: What’s a typical day entail for you? KIEFF: A typical day really involves trying to put in place the tools that a very dedicated staff need to do their job and to allocate scarce resources on the operational side and ensure they can do the best job possible when patrons come to the parks. On the capital side is to head up the effort to prioritize projects that a very talented group of engineers work on to get ready and get them out to bid and overseen and produced. So the operational and capital sides really work hand in hand to make sure the parks are presented to the public in the best possible way.
12
NNYB: How are you funded? KIEFF: We are rather unique as a state agency in that the fees and revenue we generate stays in the agency to contribute to the infrastructure fund improvements that we do in the parks. Roughly, the
The Kevin A. Kieff file AGE: 60 JOB: Regional Director for the Thousand Islands Region of the New York State Department of Parks and Recreation and Office of Historic Preservation FAMILY: Mother and older brother, Cape Vincent; younger sister, Syracuse HOMETOWN: Cape Vincent native EDUCATION: St. Lawrence University, B.A., government; Cornell University, Johnson School of Management, master’s in public administration EXPERIENCE: Current position for 14 years; 17 years with New York Casualty Insurance Company, left as Director of Marketing LAST BOOK READ: “The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism” by Doris Kearns Goodwin agency operates on about 40 percent of funding that comes in from such fees and people paying to camp, golf, dock, or to picnic through a day’s fee. The other 60 percent is from the state’s general fund.
13
NNYB: How many park police do you manage? KIEFF: I believe we’re carrying a force right now of 13. Wescott’s Beach, Keewaydin, Robert Whele and Point Au Roche in Clinton County; we’re challenged to have more than one officer on duty at any one time at each of those four locations. So in the summertime when we have tens of thousands of people in the parks, they are a very busy force and do a great job, but it’s a tough region to cover. Our geographic spread is one of our big challenges.
14
NNYB: What has surprised you most in your job? KIEFF: The institutional knowledge that came with this position when I came was phenomenal. There’s been a complete turnover of staff in my 14 years and is almost in all cases because June 2014 | NNY Business
| 41
20 QU E ST I ONS of retirements, promotions or advancements; virtually none of it is from the fact that someone left. That’s been a pleasant surprise to know that workforce continuity is available in a very seasonal operation. The process of engaging with a wide range of staff to tackle problems is probably the thing I really enjoy most. At the end of it, there’s something very tangible there. It’s the process of getting there that I find very rewarding.
15
NNYB: Has the emphasis on tourism in our region changed over the years? KIEFF: The degree of focus that tourism has received has been very encouraging. I don’t think that’s the case everywhere where tourism plays such an important role and I’m thrilled to see it here.
Canadians have always realized that tourism was a very important part of what they wanted from this area. I’m not sure that for some periods of time we haven’t taken that somewhat for granted, but I see that changing with the investment in tourism infrastructure going on through the Regional Economic Development Council and I see it with the private investment being supported in some cases by government investment. It’s important that when we get people here we have so much for them to do that their stay is extended.
16
NNYB: What features make some of our north country parks unique? KIEFF: So much of our region offers water-related activities and access to waterways, particularly
major rivers like the St. Lawrence and lakes Ontario and Champlain. That makes us unique. We have six marinas dotting the St. Lawrence and many of the parks have seasonal boating slips. Operationally it’s interesting and unique for us in that we have work boats on the river every day. We have island properties only accessible by boat. Those parks also require very special work approaches. The general public may not realize the challenges associated with island properties.
17
NNYB: What are some of the employment challenges you face as a regional parks manager? KIEFF: There are some structural challenges to growing a workforce in the state system because it is a relatively challenging process to get into at the ground level then work your way up through the Civil Service and testing system that gets you into advanced positions. In some respects we cannibalize our own system because the folks who come in at entry level and show promise are brought up through the system through advancement. In times of decreasing workforce it’s a challenge to get the new blood into the system. There’s no avoiding that that’s a challenge for us in trying to have people come in with good skills and keep them until we can start bringing them up through the system and eventually get them to their full potential.
18
NNYB: What are the most significant challenges facing the parks system today? KIEFF: The challenges are more at this point societal changes. A generation coming up that is not as connected to outdoor activities as previous generations. The desire for WiFi and connectivity. But I take heart because I don’t think that as a people we will get away from wanting that connection to nature. Different technologies are things we’ve discussed and at what level we want to bring those kinds of services to the parks. WiFi is coming into some of our park locations. We’re not sticking our heads in the sand. I think most of us in the system would prefer that people take a park stay as an opportunity to get away. We still hope people use nature as an opportunity to relax. But I’m feeling very confident about where the park system is in 2014 having started in 1897.
19
NNYB: How are you embracing technology? KIEFF: We’re doing virtual tours of our parks and the Thousand Islands region with more being done this year. People want to be able to see into visual sites to know about the product they’re consuming. And they’re doing it online, even more than by phone reservations, above 90 percent. As we’re doing it now it’s highlighting major amenities of our parks. For instance, at Keewaydin, it would show the pool, the marina and the view of the St. Lawrence River. Our reservation system responds to a great many individual needs and abilities so parts of the agency are very much in the 21st century. This is how people are going to learn about you and we’re not going to resist it.
20
NNYB: If you left your job tomorrow, how would you like to be remembered?
151 Mullin Street Watertown, NY 13601
KIEFF: I really think it would be nice if when staff is sitting around remembering, they remembered just the unbridled joy I took in having the opportunity to be here and be a part of this. Interview by Ken Eysaman. Edited for length and clarity to fit this space.
42 | NNY Business | June 2014
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June 2014 | NNY Business
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EC ON OMI CALLY S PEAKIN G
Destination marketing grows visits
N
orthern New Yorkers traveling outside the region are often surprised to discover that many people have never heard of the 1000 Islands. But, that’s not uncommon for tourism destinations that are regionally popular. As a Wisconsin native, I’d never heard of the Muskokas before moving to the Canadian border. Likewise, few people in the 1000 Islands seem to know about Door County, Wis., which is one of the most popular vacation regions in the Midwest. These experiences illustrate that establishing a tourism “brand” that has broad reach is a challenge that requires significant resources, persistence and a focus on telling the brand’s story to out-of-area audiences. Even well-established tourism destinations have to work hard to keep their brand visible in primary markets and expand awareness in secondary markets. Too often, communities are content with talking to themselves and their existing tourism customers. For individual businesses, the results from local marketing are much more apparent than the returns on efforts further afield. But to really grow the economic impact of tourism for a community or region, fresh customers have to be sought continually from out-of-area markets. Assembling the resources to reach larger markets requires cooperation and collaboration. That need for consistent, persistent and collaborative marketing is the basis of creating destination marketing organizations. It was the reason communities from both sides of the border worked together to create the 1000 Islands International Tourism Council in the 1950s and the reason it continues to work as a regional destination marketing organization. The Tourism Council’s major supporters are the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority, Federal Bridge Corporation (Canada), and Jefferson County. That support leverages buy-ins and grants from New York State, the Province
of Ontario, local tourism offices, municipalities, attractions and private businesses. The Tourism Council’s 2014 base budget is $1.085 million (plus about $270,000 in special grants). That may sound like a sizable budget. But, many Gary DeYoung competing destinations have substantially larger budgets. The Tourism Council undertakes a range of programs to attract visitors from primary markets. It conducts advertising campaigns, solicits publicity, attends consumer shows, sells to the bus tour market, publishes and distributes brochures and maintains and promotes websites. To use resources effectively, marketing is increasingly targeted to special interest groups and the most productive geographic markets. For example, the current 1000 Islands summer TV and digital advertising campaign employs “rich media” online ads that include video and multiple hot links. Using network buying allows the ads to appear only in the geographic areas targeted and on multiple websites used by customers in those communities. To make the $190,000 campaign work, a dozen attractions, hotels, local tourism offices and organizations have invested in the program. The result is a broadly supported, yet targeted campaign that reaches markets such as Rochester, Scranton, Buffalo and Ottawa. The council also works to target specific interest markets. For example, boating and fishing are important drivers of tourism to the region. This year, the council worked with two fishing shows that air nationally on cable television networks to produce episodes featuring
the region. It also publishes a special fishing directory, exhibits at boat and sports shows and is active in the Lake Ontario Sportfishing Promotion Council. Positioning the 1000 Islands as an attractive destination within tourism industry marketing channels is another important task for a destination marketing organization. For example, the Tourism Council makes dozens of personal sales presentations about the region to Tour Operators and Motorcoach Companies at events such as the National Tour Association Convention and American Bus Association Marketplace. It also works with organizations such as American Automobile Association to promote the region to its members. If done right, few of these efforts will be seen locally. Nor can we hope that the efforts will make a large impression in places like California or Europe. The idea is to market to potential visitors from outside the area, but focus the available resources carefully on the best prospects. In the end, it is a simple business proposition. The best return on investment doesn’t come from talking to ourselves or from promoting to unlikely customers. Few people in New York know about Door County, Wis., because it has focused years of multi-million dollar marketing investments on Chicago. Few people in Chicago know about the 1000 Islands because it has focused its efforts on drive markets from Ontario, New York and Pennsylvania. But both are successful destinations that have supported collaborative efforts to attract tourism income from key markets. Reaching everyone falls in the territory of places like Las Vegas, which recently set a 2015 budget of $273 million for its destination marketing organization. n GARY S. DeYOUNG is director of tourism for the 1000 Islands International Toursim Council. Contact him, at gary@visit1000islands.com, 482-2520 or 1 (800) 847-5263
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BU SIN E S S L AW
Understand risk of loss to cut costs
S
hipment of goods by common carrier can be a major part of small business transactions. The goods could be manufactured, inventory for resale, or office equipment. One key concerns that a small business owner should be aware of in shipment of goods is risk of loss. Many risks are unforeseen such as weather, fire or theft; and the loss may not be covered by the business owner’s insurance policy or if the loss is covered, the policy may be insufficient to cover the entire amount. If the value of the shipped goods is insufficient, there is little impact on business operations. However, if the value of the goods is significant, the loss could seriously impact the survival of the business. In most circumstances, the law of risk of loss is set out in New York’s Commercial Code. In absence of breach of contract, the code provides that the terms of the sales contract assigning risk of loss are to be applied. If the contract is silent on risk of loss terms, the code allocates the risk of loss based on delivery terms, which means that the financial loss falls on the party who has control over the goods. In either case, the business owner should fully understand the risk of loss terms in their sales contracts or understand the key concepts of the code’s risk of loss allocation. The timing of when risk of loss is transferred from the seller to the buyer is established by the use of delivery terminology called, F.O.B. (an acronym for
free on board.) The term F.O.B. began in the maritime shipping business to denote that the buyer would pay the cost of shipping, but today it is defined in New York’s CommerLarry Covell cial Code. The risk of loss is different in a sales transaction depending on the perspective of the seller
the seller must transport the goods to the common carrier and make a contract for their transportation with regard to the nature of the goods. If the terms of the sales contract are F.O.B. buyer’s location, the seller is required to deliver the goods to a particular location as determined by the buyer. Furthermore, the seller is obligated to tender the goods in such a manner so as the buyer to take possession. The risk of loss passes to the buyer when the goods are delivered to the named location so that the buyer can take possession. The seller has the cost of transportation and risk of loss during transportation until the goods are delivered to the buyer’s specified location. This is called a destination contract. In this circumstance, F.O.B. place of destination is a delivery term that places the burden of the expense of transportation and risk of loss on the seller until goods are delivered to buyer. The seller is also obligated to notify the buyer of the approximate time of arrival of the goods, while the buyer on the other hand has to provide suitable facilities to receive the goods. Finally, small business owners, by understanding the F.O.B. delivery terms, can plan with their insurance representative to determine when insurance coverage is to take place and amount of coverage, hopefully, reducing their operating costs.
By understanding F.O.B. delivery terms, small business owners can plan with their insurance representative to determine when insurance coverage is to take place and amount of coverage, hopefully reducing their operating costs. or buyer. If the term used is F.O.B. seller’s location, the seller is not required to deliver the goods to a particular destination since that burden falls on the buyer. The risk of loss passes to the buyer when the seller delivers the goods to the common carrier. This is called a shipment contract. In a shipment contract, the buyer has both the expense of transportation and the risk of loss during transit. Therefore, F.O.B. becomes a delivery term since it establishes who incurs the costs and the risk of loss during transportation. If the buyer authorizes the seller to employ a common carrier on the buyer’s behalf,
n LARRY COVELL is a professor of business at SUNY Jefferson and an attorney. Contact him at lcovell@sunyjefferson.edu. His column appears every other month in NNY Business.
June 2014 | NNY Business
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COM M E R CE CORNER
Policies, procedures guide business
W
hat are policies and procedures? Policies are most commonly defined as a business’s rules and guidelines that incorporate statements of how the organization intends to conduct its services, actions or business. In essence, policies should lay out the rules under which a company and its varying departments will operate. These guiding principles simplify decision making. No business it too big or small to incorporate policies and for most organizations they are required. Depending on the type of business, policies may need to be more in depth and there could also be the need to have multiple policies in place. However, policies should factual and to the point, which for some may result in a couple of sentences for a particular policy area. Policies and procedures provide a framework for day-to-day operations. Upon hiring employees, many organizations provide this information to new hires, which should provide insight into the company’s philosophies, values, and ethical standards. Procedures are designed to be a step-by-step guide on how to perform a particular task or operation within a business. Most commonly, procedures should outline who will do what, what steps should be taken, and which forms or documents should be used. Procedures tend to be more detailed and task-focused, and specifically define what is expected of all employees within organization. WHY ARE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES SO IMPORTANT? Policies and procedures are vital to a healthy organization for many reasons,
such as succession planning, a requirement of the business, and even a legal obligation. People prefer structure and expectations — it provides a foundation of what an individual as an Lynn Pietroski employee needs to live up to. The unknown is scary for anyone and can result in mistakes, leading to inefficiencies. When an organization provides policies and procedures, the guidelines have been established, there is little room for error or poor judgment. Consistency is a crucial component of a successfully run business or organization. Policies and procedures ensure that regardless of situations presented to various employees, it should be handled the same way. With the many changes facing nonprofits, policies support compliance with local, state, and federal laws. There are several legal obligations and best practices that are required to be followed in all types of organizations, especially if employees are involved. When employing individuals, policies such as Equal Employment Opportunities, health and safety laws, employment laws, and employee handbooks are a priority. HOW SHOULD AN ORGANIZATION BEST IMPLEMENT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES? Once the difficult task of writing your policies and procedures is complete, the implementation phase begins. If an organization has always had policies and
procedures, this process should be easy when providing employees with updates and modifications, and even easier if you are providing new employees with the information. However, if you’re an organization that historically has not had policies and procedures and are in the process of implementing them, this may be a slight challenge. Although people respond to structure, change causes a different reaction. When implementing changes, it is best to have a plan of how the changes will be instituted. Some options may be to include employees is the writing of the policies, provide employees policies in advance to review, provide multiple training sessions, and always provide information on any changes or updates. WHO SHOULD GOVERN POLICIES AND PROCEDURES? Many organizations have corporate compliance officers, risk management departments or human resource department that oversee implementation and continuance of compliance with an organization’s policies and procedure. However, the role also can be held by the leader or leaders of an organization. Boards of directors are instrumental in oversight of policies and have a committee that is responsible solely for this. Just as it is important to have policies and procedures, it is equally as crucial to ensure they are being followed and enforced. Policies and procedure should be clear, concise, enforced, updated and regularly reviewed to be effective. n LYNN PIETROSKI is president and CEO of the Greater Watertown North Country Chamber of Commerce. Contact her at ceo@watertownny. com. Her column appears monthly.
Your Regional Recycling Resource A partnership of the Development Authority of the North Country and Jefferson, Lewis & St. Lawrence Counties.
www.NorthCountryRecycles.org 46 | NNY Business | June 2014
AG RI- BU S I NE S S
A different type of regional toursim
E
ach year thousands of people travel to Northern New York to enjoy the beauty of nature and the relaxing climate and culture that places like the Thousand Islands region offers. With more than 150 miles of shoreline along Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, Jefferson County certainly offers opportunities to sit and watch sunsets, fantastic fishing, and many other water-related opportunities. Inland, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties boast the foothills of the Adirondacks, hundreds of miles of forested trails, canoeing, kayaking, camping, and other types of tourist related opportunities. Traditional tourism is a big part of our north country economy. There is another type of tourism that is slowly growing here. Educational tourism involves people traveling to learn new things, answer questions that may be beneficial to their own businesses, or to improve their own technical competencies. A person traveling to a conference offering educational workshops, and visiting a business that is utilizing newer practices or technologies, is an example of educational tourism. In Northern New York’s agricultural industry, we are familiar with the thousands who visit our wineries, maple sugar shacks, or Old McDonald’s Farm near Sackets Harbor. Old McDonald’s Farm fits a traditional model of tourism in that it provides recreational activities for young children, even drawing people into our area to visit the farm from places as far away as Maryland and beyond. But there’s another side to Old McDonald’s Farm, and a growing number of additional farms, that is drawing people into our area. Many of our farms are using new technologies to farm more efficiently, reduce their
environmental impact and overcome obstacles to their success. Ron Robbins of North Harbor Dairy and Old McDonald’s Farm near Sackets Harbor roughly estimates 100 people a year are coming Jay Matteson to Northern New York to observe some of the practices the farm employs such as their recently built milking parlor and calf barns. Old McDonald’s Farm, across the road from North Harbor Dairy offers daily tours of the dairy barns so everyone can learn about modern dairy farming practices on a 900-cow dairy farm. The Robbins family has made educating people about farming a major part of their life. Other farms haven’t gone as far as North Harbor Dairy in purposefully developing educational tourism. Farms such as Sheland Dairy Farms in Ellisburg installed a state-of-the-art manure composting, anaerobic digester and farm resource recovery center only to improve its bottom line, improve its environmental stewardship, and quality of life for employees and family members. In the years since it initiated a comprehensive resource recovery system, Doug Shelmidine, one of the partners in the business estimates the farm had hundreds of people come from all over to learn about the practices in place. Mr. Shelmidine indicated they had people from as far away as New Zealand visit the farm. Recently the Mason Family in Cape Vincent, operating Riverhaven Dairy, learned about education-
al tourism. The farm was the first to install robotic milking equipment in Northern New York. Since, Riverhaven has seen many people travel to the area to see how the equipment works and consider whether there is an opportunity on their own farms. Cornell Cooperative Extension, which offers educational and technical assistance to the agricultural industry, has also played a growing part in educational tourism. Seminars and workshops draw hundreds of people, many often traveling long distances. Over the past several years, programs for college students have brought hundreds into our area, staying in our hotels and enjoying our dining and recreational opportunities. As Cooperative Extension draws people into its programs from outside our area, the impact of programming is beyond just the educational component. Whether its fueling a vehicle, dining in a local restaurant, or staying in a hotel for an evening, people are spending money in our community. With the exciting growth we are seeing in agriculture, we expect this trend in educational tourism to sprout up as well. Our dairy farms are reinvesting in their operations and new technologies are used to draw people into the area. Other sectors of agriculture are doing the same thing. As we’ve always said here at the Jefferson County Economic Development Office, “when you take the sun, soil, and water and use those resources to grow things we can sell elsewhere,” and then add on the educational tourism that is created, that is a good thing for all of us. n JAY M. MATTESON is agricultural coordinator for the Jefferson County Local Development Corp. He is a lifelong Northern New York resident who lives in Lorraine. Contact him at coordinator@comefarmwithus.com. His column appears monthly in NNY Business.
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June 2014 | NNY Business
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B U S I N E SS TECH BYTES
4G LTE network good for business
W
hat is 4G LTE? The term “4G” stands for fourthgeneration wireless technology. First-generation wireless was standard analog voice service. Remember when your old analog cellphone would no longer work and “digital” was arriving on the scene? That was second generation, or 2G wireless, this included not only digital voice but data service. Unfortunately, the data download was still very slow and clunky on a cell phone and we were definitely not all toting around iPads and tablets since data speeds were roughly equivalent to dial-up. Finally, we saw third-generation, or 3G wireless service arrive, which multiplied download speeds to 400 to 700 kilobits per second — roughly equivalent to a broadband connection available at the time. This was still not fast enough and 4G LTE (Long-Term Evolution) wireless was introduced and quickly became the most widely adopted worldwide. The faster-yet 4G cranks up speeds to 5 to 12 megabits per second download and 2 to 5 megabits on the upload. It is about speed and providing a robust wireless data experience and being able to do more with that wireless connection. With 4G you click on your device and get what you want almost instantly. The 4G LTE expansion into the north country means even more businesses and consumers can surf the Internet faster, send and receive larger email files quicker, and view streaming videos without buffering. The business customer is finding they can be more productive and get their work done in this mobile environment. If you have not already, it is time to consider using a smartphone, a tablet, a laptop with built-in 4G LTE connectivity or modem, or
wireless hotspot on your phone (I do it all the time) to do the kind of work you would normally do with a wired connection. Faster 4G LTE makes Facetime, Skype and videoconferencing all obvious Jill Van Hoesen possibilities. Businesses and consumers alike can benefit from the remote video security and health care monitoring devices, LTE-powered vending machines and ATMs, wireless backup systems for point-of-sale terminals and utility monitoring services. One such monitoring service is working quite well for the Village of Deferiet, according to Mayor Janet Zando. “Gone are the days of relying on a neighborhood watch of sorts when it comes to monitoring our wastewater treatment facility,” she said. “For a relatively low-cost investment of approximately $300 and a low $10 monthly fee, our DPW crew is now notified immediately, right to their cellphones, should something be awry. Before this installation of Monnit devices on the Verizon network we could have had a situation go undetected for minutes or even hours before someone realized that the ‘red lights’ were flashing.” Not only convenient and economical, 4G LTE technology is scalable, making it something that large businesses or enterprise customers can use and something small and medium-sized businesses, just like the Village of Deferiet can benefit from. It isn’t really new technology anymore and Verizon has already begun
Locally Owned and Operated ~ Mobile Shreds Onsite ~ Fast, Safe & Secure. Call to set up free estimate or schedule service ~ Servicing Jefferson, Lewis, Oswego, St. Lawrence and parts of Franklin and Essex Counties ~ WE PROVIDE RELIABLE, TIMELY SERVICE, AND STAND BEHIND THAT. 48 | NNY Business | June 2014
to upgrade particularly crowded portions of its 4G LTE network with an improved spectrum position. This has resulted in more than 250 areas like Los Angeles, New York, Washington, D.C., and Boston seeing a marked improvement in speed and user experience. This new wireless service is being referred to as XLTE. In XLTE-equipped markets and XLTE ready devices like the Apple iPhone 5S and C and the Samsung Galaxy S4 and S5, customers should experience “faster peak data speeds and a minimum of double the bandwidth to 4G LTE customers,” Verizon officials say. “It’s where the wireless industry is heading and has become the standard for wireless device and application development,” John O’Malley, Verizon spokesman for Upstate New York said. “When we first launched our 4G LTE network in 2010, there were only a handful of 4G LTE-capable smartphones and modems available. Today there are dozens of mobile and machine-to-machine devices available in 4G LTE and its continued growth will continue to drive the future of computing and media consumption. Tablets are already outselling laptops and PCs as the bulk of media consumption happens on tablets. A 4G LTE network makes that possible.” Though XLTE is not in the north country yet, the 4G LTE ecosystem continues to grow and evolve, with more compatible devices and applications being developed, business and consumers, not only in the north country, but anywhere and everywhere will take advantage of this faster connectivity and all it has to offer. n JILL VAN HOESEN is chief information officer for Johnson Newspapers and a 25-year IT veteran. Contact her at jvanhoesen@wdt.net. Her column appears monthly in NNY Business.
SMAL L BU SIN E SS SU CC E S S
Seasonal clients benefit everyone
W
armer weather is finally returning to Northern New York and it’s not just us natives who appreciate the beauty of our region during the summer months. Tourism is one of the north country’s largest industries and it’s not only the communities that offer seasonal attractions that can benefit from the influx of summer visitors. More and more, travelers are looking for an authentic, localized experience and many small businesses in our communities are well poised to offer just that. Each community in the north country has something unique and interesting to offer. Even if your business is not located in an area that is known to draw tourists you can still capitalize on the increase in visitors to the area. But you can’t remain hidden. Tourists have easy access to information about activities, entertainment, dining and attractions in the community where they stay when they visit the region. They have probably researched these items on the Web before they even arrived. They are certain to find it handily at their place of lodging and through any information outlet or card rack that they pass while in town. If you’re a little off the beaten path from the main tourist haunts, you’ll have to make special efforts to assure people know who you are and where you are. It may require additional marketing efforts in nearby communities that are already popular with tourists, perhaps by placing ads in their community directories, linking to their websites, or making a connection to their social media vehicles.
Consider joining any networking or marketing groups in nearby communities that feature major tourist attractions. Participate in their chamber of commerce or other business Michelle Collins associations. This is likely to give you more exposure to tourists who
include maps and directions. People are adventurous when they travel but you don’t what the adventure to be so daunting that they give up trying to find you. Be sure that you’re taking advantage of online listings such as Google Places, Yelp, MapQuest and others. Be sure that the information in your listing is accurate and that the featured maps show the correct location. Your marketing message should be focused on how you can offer the traveler an authentic, localized experience. Locally grown ingredients in food products, regional materials used in a handcrafted item, or naming products after local historical figures are all good ways to generate interest in tourists. You may want to collaborate with some other business owners in your community to show visitors how they can make a day of visiting your community as a side trip from a larger tourist attraction. Create some marketing materials that feature shops, restaurants, museums, outdoor recreation and other attractions that will give visitors a good sense of what your community is like. Even if your business is not considered a major tourist attraction, there is still a great deal of opportunity to attract new customers who are visiting the area. When visitors come to the area and have a good experience we all benefit. So make this the season that you consider ways to focus more on letting travelers know what you have to offer.
Even if your business is not considered a major tourist attraction, there is still a great deal of opportunity to attract new customers who are visiting the area. come to the area and seek information from these organizations. But such membership will also help you to network with the business owners in those communities that already draw tourists. If they know about your business and your products and services they are more likely to refer their customers to you. Some of them may even welcome the opportunity to partner with you by offering a special package bundling your services with theirs. Don’t be afraid to offer sample products or trial services to these fellow business owners. They will be more comfortable referring their customers to you if they have their own experience with what you have to offer. Make sure your marketing materials
n MICHELLE COLLINS is a certified business advisor with the New York State Small Business Development Center at SUNY Canton. Contact her at collinsm@canton.edu. Her column appears bi-monthly in NNY Business.
June 2014 | NNY Business
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COMMUNITY / BUSINESS CALENDAR
ADAMS SATURDAY, JULY 12
n Adams Cheddar Cheese Festival, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., downtown Adams, fireman’s field off North Main Street and along East Church Street. Sponsored by the Adams Revitalization Committee, Great Lakes Cheese and the South Jefferson Chamber of Commerce. Entertainment, farmers and craft markets, vendors, food, wine garden, and children’s and family activities, including a new cheesy duck race. Free. Information: www.south jeffchamber.org.
CANTON SATURDAY, JULY 19, AND SUNDAY, JULY 20
n Yankee baseball trip to New York City. Canton Recreation Department; Cost: $250; Includes tickets to two games vs. Cincinnati Reds, coach transportation, one night stay at Meadowlands River Inn (double occupancy), and breakfast on Sunday. Information, registration: 3863992 or canton-recreation@yahoo.com.
CLAYTON THURSDAYS, JUNE 19 — SEPT. 11
n Clayton Farmer’s Market, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Village Park Circle. Vendor applications available. Information: Beth Rusho, 686-3771, ext. 4, beth@1000islands-clayton.com, info@1000islands-clayton.com.
THURSDAY, JUNE 26
n Inaugural JLI Reunion, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Antique Boat Museum, 750 Mary St. $25/alumni, $30/guests, cash bar. Clam bake and picnic. See what’s new on the horizon for JLI and reconnect with fellow alumns! Information: Michelle Carpenter at events@watertownny.com
FRIDAYS AND SATURDAYS JUNE 27 — SEPT. 6
n Wine cruises, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., hosted by Coyote Moon Vineyards aboard Clayton Island Tours. Leave from Coy-
50 | NNY Business | June 2014
ote Moon Vineyards Wine & Craft Beer Lounge, 524 Riverside Road. Includes bottle of Coyote Moon wine and glass. Must be 21 or over. River Rat cheese and crackers provided. Tickets: $39.95 per person, nonrefundable. Reservation: 686-4030.
ment, face painting by Penelope the Clown, fireworks. Information: 1-518-624-3077. Rain location: Mount Sabattis Pavilion.
THURSDAY, JULY 17
n Massena Rod & Gun Club Annual Gun Show. The Massena Rod & Gun Club will celebrate their 100th Anniversary with their Annual Gun Show, Flea Market, St. Lawrence Trappers Rendezvous. A chicken Barbeque will be offered. Interested vendors for the gun show and flea market should contact Dave Vanornum at (315) 769-2627 or (315) 842-8296. Anyone interested in the Trappers Rendezvous can contact Jim Aubrey at (315) 389-5096.
n “De-stress in Nature” With Thousand Islands Land Trust and River Yoga, 9 a.m. Zenda Farm Preserve, Route 12E. All levels welcome. Limited number of mats and props available. Registration required. Information, registration: 686-5345.
THURSDAY, JULY 17
n GWNC Chamber Business After Hours at Coyote Moon Vineyards, 5 to 7 p.m., 17371 Eastline Road. Enjoy the premier Networking Event in the north country. Great food, great prizes and great networking. $10 members (registered), $12 members (not registered), $15 nonmembers. Registration and information: Chamber, 788-4400.
HENDERSON HARBOR SATURDAY, JULY 12 n 23rd Annual Henderson Harbor Triathlon, Boat Launch, State Route 178. Olympic race begins at 8:30 a.m., Sprint at 9 a.m. Olympic event consists of 1.5K swim, 40K bike, 10K run; Sprint with a .750K swim, 20K bike, 5K run. Event proceeds benefit the Children’s Home of Jefferson County’s Community Based Programs and the CREDO Community Center. See website for complete details. Information: Stacey Finley at 788-7430, sfinley@nnychildrenshome.com. Register online at www. hendersonharbortriathlon.com, www.active.com, or www.nnychildrenshome.com.
LONG LAKE FRIDAY, JULY 4
n 4th of July Celebration, 6 p.m., Long Lake Town Beach. Performance by The Bad Chaperones, food by Long Lake Fire Depart-
LOUISVILLE SATURDAY, JULY 26
LOWVILLE SATURDAY, AUG. 16
n Race With the Wind! 46-Mile Gravel Grinder Endurance Race, begins at 10 a.m. and 10 Mile Fun Race at 10:30 a.m. Hosted at Maple Ridge Wind Farm’s Visitor Center, Eagle Factory Road. This is not an easy course; rugged, varied terrain, with ups and downs throughout the course. Cross bikes be prepared. Use heavy off road tubes and tires. Race of “Tug Hill character.” 46 mile race; $25 by July 1, $30 by Aug. 1, $35 day of event. 10 mile race, $20 adults, 18 and under, free. Registration at 8:30 a.m. Forms online at www.lewiscountychamber. org or information, 376-2213.
MONDAY, SEPT. 8 — FRIDAY, SEPT. 12
n Bus trip to Southern Maine Coast and Coves, Sponsored by Brookside Senior Living. Includes four nights at Hampton Inn, breakfasts, four dinners, lobster cruise, admission to museums and Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, private lighthouse tour, lighthouse cruise and guided tour of Kennebunkport and Portland. Cost: single occupancy, $919; double occupancy, $714; triple occupancy, $699; quad occupancy, $684. Deposit of $25 due by
members. Information: Lisa Metot, 4701870 or lmetot@centerstateceo.com
SACKETS HARBOR
n CenterState CEO Clambake, 5 to 9 p.m., Hinerwadel’s Grove 5300 W. Taft Rd. Great food, music and fun! $65/ members, $75/non-members. Information and registration: Lisa Metot, 470-1870 or lmetot@centerstateceo.com
FRIDAY, JULY 4
n Fireworks, 9:30 p.m.,Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site, 504 W. Main St. Information: 646-3634, www.nysparks. com, www.sacketsharborbattlefield.org.
SYRACUSE TUESDAY, JUNE 24
n Port of NY/NY Tour, 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Central New York Technology Development Organization (TDO) 445 Electronics Pkwy., Ste. 206, Liverpool. The Port of New York/New Jersey is one of the busiest in the world. Join the CNYIBA on a tour of Maher Terminal - the largest container shipping terminal in the Port of New York/New Jersey. Learn how they manage loading and unloading thousands of ocean shipping containers each day. Learn how they use x-ray to inspect shipments, how they trans-load to and from rail and truck and how they cooperate with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to insure safety of supply chains. If scheduling allows, we may also board a vessel during unloading and loading operations. Space is limited so register early. Deadline for registration, June 20th. CNYIBA member, $95/ticket, Non-member, $125/ticket. Information and reservations: www.centerstateceo.com/events/ Port-of-NYNY-Tour-1237/details
THURSDAY, JULY 17
n Business After Hours: Tech Meets Taste – Local Thirst, 5 to 6:30 p.m., 235 Harrison St. Get to know the people behind the region’s hottest young tech companies, connect with independent local business owners at the heart of SyracuseFirst and sample foods from more than a dozen local cafés and restaurants. Tour the Tech Garden and have a relaxing time with friends on the plaza! $10 for members, $20 for non-
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THURSDAY, AUG. 7
TUPPER LAKE FRIDAY JULY 11 — SUNDAY, JULY 13
n Tupper Lake Woodsmen’s Days, Tupper Lake Municipal Park, NYS Rt. 3. Friday, July 11: New York logger training course: advanced logger rescue training, with logger rescue trainer Dana Hinckley. Saturday, July 12: 8 a.m., New York logger training certification course: chainsaw safety, with Dana Hinkley; 10 a.m., parade, Timberworks Lumberjack Show, chainsaw carvers and auction, heavy equipment demos and competitions, food concession and wares, children’s games, evening games of greased pole climb and tug of war. Sunday, July 13: 11 a.m., free children’s games, “Professor Marvel’s Magic Show.” Information: dbhinkley@ netzero.net or (603) 723-4023. Events schedule: www.woodsmendays.com .
WATERTOWN WEDNESDAYS THROUGH OCT. 1
n Greater Watertown North Country Chamber of Commerce Farm & Craft Market, 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Wednesdays, 317 Washington St. Information: Toni M. Miller, Market Manager at tmiller@watertownny.com or www.watertownfarmersmarket.weebly.com.
THURSDAY, JUNE 19
GWNC Chamber Business After Hours at Body Pros, 18288 Rte. 11, 5 to 7 p.m. Great networking, prizes and food. Grand prize: $500 gift card to Turning
Stone Casino. Register by noon, Wednesday, June 18. $10 members (registered), $12 members (not registered), $15 nonmembers. Registration and information: Chamber, 788-4400.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25
n Educational Workshop Series: Digital Marketing Now, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Savory Downtown, 300 Washington St. Registration at 11, program at 11:30 a.m. Program targeted to Watertown area businesses. Keynote address by digital industry leaders. Topics include: How to reach Fort Drum and Canadian audiences; how to increase sales with Search (SEO, SMO and SEM) and how to ensure your website responds to your customers (responsive web design, email, video, mobile). Free for registered members, $5, non-registered members, $5, non-members. RSVP by noon, June 23. Information and registration: Chamber, 788-4400.
SATURDAY, AUG. 2
n Military and Veterans Community Day, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Jefferson Community College, 1220 Coffeen St. To educate military and veterans on services available. Booths for agencies to display services. Set up 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 1 and 9 a.m. Saturday. Information: Deb Baxter, 425-4400, ext. 58173, debra.baxter2@va.gov.
THURSDAY AUG. 21
n GWNC Chamber Business After Hours at NYS Zoo at Thompson Park, 5 to 7 p.m., One Thompson Park. Enjoy the premier Networking Event in the north country. Great food, great prizes and great networking. Register by noon, Wednesday, Aug. 19. $10 members (registered), $12 members (not registered), $15 non-members. Registration and information: Chamber, 788-4400. GOT A BUSINESS EVENT or calendar item? Email nnybusiness@wdt.net. Deadline is the 10th of each month for the following month’s issue. Visit us on Facebook at www. facebook.com/NNYBusiness or www.nny bizmag.com for events calendar updates.
COMMUNITY / BUSINESS CALENDAR
Sunday, July 20. Full payment due Friday, Aug. 1. Information: Brookside, 3764333 or brookside@nnymail.com.
(315) 782-4910 • 1-800-772-4201 • Fax: (315) 785-8248 www.dlcalarco.com • francee@dlcalarco.com
June 2014 | NNY Business
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B U SI N E SS S CENE Armed Forces Day Luncheon at Hilton Garden Inn, Watertown
From left, Ed Olley, GYMO Architecture, Engineering & Land Surveying and Benjamin P. Coe, retired.
From left, Mary Corriveau, retired, and Nancy Datoush, Fort Drum Regional Liaison Organization.
GRACE E. JOHNSTON PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS
From left, Brandon Haas and Daniel Estal, both of Northern Federal Credit Union, Watertown. More than 200 community leaders, elected officials and members of the 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, attended the Armed Forces Day Luncheon on May 12 at the Hilton Garden Inn where Brig. Gen. Michael L. Howard delivered the keynote speech. The Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce presents the annual luncheon.
GRACE E. JOHNSTON PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS
From left, Sgt. Vincent Cruz, Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Geddings, Spc. Jarvis Dixon, all of 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum,
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BU SIN E SS S C E NE South Jeff Chamber of Commerce Anual Awards Dinner at Ryan’s Lookout, Henderson
From left, Kim Rehley, Bryan Perry and Jill Bates, all of Key Bank, Adams Center.
From left, Lori Porter, RealtyUSA, Cathy Haug, Carthage Central Schools, and Madeline Felice, Adams Center Library and South Jefferson Central Schools.
KEN EYSAMAN PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS
From left, Andrew Beckstead, Kyle R. Hayes and Chad Burdick, co-owners, Gram’s Diner, Adams. The diner was named South Jeff Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year during the chamber’s annual awards dinner May 15 at Ryan’s Lookout, Henderson.
KEN EYSAMAN PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS
From left, Randy Fone, wife, Missy, Lee Gordinier, Jeff Pratt and Sally Wodell Stevens, owner, O. D. Greene Lumber & Hardware, Adams and Sackets Harbor. The South Jeff Chamber of Commerce named O.D. Greene Large Business of the Year.
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June 2014 | NNY Business
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B U S I N E SS SCENE Lewis County Chamber Business After Hours at jeb’s Restaurant, Lowville
Anne Bertram, West Carthage Elementary School, and Jeremy Bertram, Deviant Promotions, Lyons Falls.
JEREMIAH PAPINEAU PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS
From left, Taylor Farney and Jasmine Coffman, Northern Credit Union, Lowville. Northern Credit Union, Lowville, hosted the Lewis County Chamber of Commerce May Business After Hours on May 15. jeb’s Restaurant, Lowville, catered the event.
54 | NNY Business | June 2014
Donna and Arnie Loucks, D Laux Properties, Castorland.
JEREMIAH PAPINEAU PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS
Ray Falk, Suntric Renewable Electricity, Beaver Falls, and Tina Lanier, AmeriCU Credit Union, Lowville.
BU SIN E SS S C E NE GWNC Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours at Singer Castle
From left, Alan and Tracy Wood, Lake Wood Cottages, Cape Vincent.
From left, Debbie Barnes, Emily Tufo and Billy Burns; Benefit Services Group, Watertown.
GRACE E. JOHNSTON PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS
GRACE E. JOHNSTON PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS
From left, Jennifer Garcia, Danielle O’Brien, Rebecca Bulterman, Tammi O’Brien, all of All Pest Inc. The Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Uncle Sam Boat Tours, Alexandria Bay, hosted the May Business After Hours at Singer Castle on May 21.
From left, Tammy Tanner, Jennifer Connor, and Jess Wilcox, all of Center for Sight, Watertown.
June 2014 | NNY Business
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B U SI N E SS S CENE CNY Postal Customer Council luncheon at Black RIver Valley Club, Watertown
From left, Brian Ratliff, Karen Colling, and Mike Ackerman, all of Syracuse Post Office.
From left, Hank Dynka, James Nice, and Randy Cushman, all of Syracuse Post Office.
GRACE E. JOHNSTON PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS
GRACE E. JOHNSTON PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS
From left, Jane Pikarsky, Cathy Glasheen, and John Catania, all of Syracuse Post Office. On June 5, the Central New York Postal Customer Council held a luncheon presenting U.S. Postal Regulatory Commissioner Robert Taub, who spoke about the challenges and outlook for the United States Postal Service. NNY Business Magazine, the Watertown Daily Times and the Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce sponsored the event.
From left, Maureen Ackerman, Randy Kahn, both of IMS Inc., Syracuse, Kathy Rood, Advanced Central Services, Syracuse.
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SERVICE
BU SIN E SS S C E NE Jefferson Leadership Institute graduation luncheon at Ramada Inn, Watertown
From left, JLI Class of 2014 members Kerry Young, Jefferson Community College, Watertown, and Bonnie Eppolito, WPBS-TV, Watertown.
From left, JLI Class of 2014 member Ben Brannan, Westelcom, and Paul F. Barton, president and general manager, Westelcom, Watertown.
KEN EYSAMAN PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS
KEN EYSAMAN PHOTOS | NNY BUSINESS
From left, JLI Class of 2014 members Morgan Bocciolatt, Samaritan Medical Center Children’s Miracle Network, Watertown, Jeanne LaRock, New York Air Brake, Watertown, and Cathy Stenfeldt, Community Action Planning Council of Jefferson County, Watertown. The Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce graduated 25 members of its 2014 JLI Class during a June 6 luncheon at the Ramada Inn, Watertown.
From left, JLI Class of 2014 members Andrew Nichols, City of Watertown, Dave Jones, Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization, Sandi Dasno, Jefferson Rehabilitation Center, and Laurie McGrath, also of Jefferson Rehabilitation Center.
Celebrating
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B U S I N E SS HIS TORY
The first automobile appeared in Watertown in 1909. Owned by Louis W. Moore, it was a steam Stanhope, manufactured by Foster & Co., Rochester.
Bye-bye buggy
WATERTOWN DAILY TIMES ARCHIVE PHOTO
Auto killed the carriage industry at turn of 20th century By GRACE E. JOHNSTON
T NNY Business
he appearance of the automobile in Watertown in 1909 marked the beginning of the end for the once-flourishing carriage industry and the horse and buggy days. While there is some question as to who owned the first automobile in Watertown, historical accounts seem to assert that it was the late Louis W. Moore. Mr. Moore was the employer of Frank W. Woolworth in the latter’s younger days and gave Mr. Woolworth the idea for the five-and-dime store that he would develop into the well-known chain of Woolworth’s Department Stores. The vehicle Mr. Moore bought was manufactured by Foster & Co., Rochester.
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It was a steam Stanhope model that carried 15 gallons of water and a six-gallon gasoline tank, enough to travel 75 miles. The gas buggy’s headlights were kerosene coach lamps, predecessors of the acetylene light. The 700-pound machine sold for $1,000, a cost of more than $25,000 today. Five hundred Watertown residents watched as Mr. Moore’s new automobile, capable of doing up to 20 mph, was unloaded “and many gazed with interest at its subsequent flight up Washington Street,” according to a Watertown Daily Times article from the day. And no wonder. The heyday of the carriage industry in Watertown was from 1880 to 1900, when it started drawing to a close because of the horseless carriage phenomenon. During those years however, it was a pace setter.
In 1875, the Watertown Spring Wagon Co. was incorporated for $100,000, manufacturing carriages in the Winslow Industrial Building on Factory Square. They were the pioneer carriage firm in Watertown. The same company today would be worth more than $2 million. Carriage-making in the north country was big business. The four local companies engaged in the mass production of carriages and buggies at the turn of the century were Watertown Spring Wagon Co., H.H. Babcock Co., which had plants on Factory Street, Union Carriage & Gear Co. on Newell Street and Excelsior Carriage Co. on Sewall Island. Carriages and wagons made in these factories found a market throughout the Eastern United States and provided em-
B U S I N E SS HIS TORY ployment to several hundred mechanics. In 1879, Henry H. Babcock, who came to the city in 1845 and engaged in two small manufacturing plants, entered the carriage business with his two sons under the firm name H.H. Babcock & Sons. This triggered the beginning of what would become one of the leading carriage firms in the United States. Incorporated in 1882, Babcock & Co. manufactured horse-drawn buggies and developed wellknown, high-quality carriage lines that were shipped cross-country as well as to South America, Europe and South Africa. An article from 1900 reports a recordbreaking season for the carriage industry. “It is not evident from the present status of the industry that the passing of the horse is in any way imminent.” But hold the horses. The market was changing. Will C. Greene, a city bicycle dealer, decided to enter the automobile business and went to Syracuse to get a locomobile for himself. The Locomobile Company of America, a name coined from locomotive and automobile, produced steam cars beginning in 1899. Although finicky and unreliable, they were a curiosity and middle class Americans clamored for the latest technology. A newspaper reporter accompanied Mr. Greene to Syracuse and recorded what may have been the first automobile trip between the two cities. “We glided away from the company’s (Syracuse) office at 9:30 a.m. for the feat not previously accomplished by the horseless carriage,” the account began. By 3 p.m., the locomobile had pulled up in front of the Randall House in Pulaski, roughly halfway to Watertown. They arrived home at 9:15 p.m., a quarter of an hour short of 12 hours. Most city residents didn’t take the automobile seriously at first. It was nothing more than a curiosity. Horses attached to buggies and carriages still lined Public Square on Saturday nights. But within 15 years, the carriage industry would be all but finished in the Garland City. n GRACE E. JOHNSTON is staff writer and editorial assistant for NNY Magazines. Contact her at gjohnston@wdt.net or 315-661-2381. Business history is a monthly feature from the archives of the Watertown Daily Times. Visit www.watertowndailytimes.com to access digital archives since 1988, or stop by the Times, 260 Washington St., Watertown to research materials in our library that date back to the 1800s.
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W HAT ’ S HAPPENING HERE ?
HAMPTON INN — POTSDAM WHAT: Potsdam’s first national chain hotel WHERE: 167 Market St., Potsdam DEVELOPER: Visions Hotels Inc., Corning SIZE: Three-story, 94-room hotel COST: $6 million to $7 million BUILDER: J.E. Sheehan Contracting Corp., Potsdam COMPLETION: Late August LOCAL JOBS: Dozens of construction and hospitality jobs FEATURES: Will be the village’s first full-sized hotel and have an indoor swimming pool, a fitness room, and a small meeting room.
JASON HUNTER | NNY BUSINESS
Charles A. Gaetano II, project superintendent for Visions Hotels, in front of the future Hampton Inn, which is under construction on Market Street in Potsdam. The holet is scheduled to open this summer.
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N E X T MO NT H
n July — our annual agriculture issue — we look at how record high milk prices being paid to local farmers are driving multi-million-dollar investments on farms across Northern New York. Also coming next month:
Watertown International Airport offers major airline jet service. You’re just one connection away from hundreds of North American and International destinations. Try our small airport experience . . . free parking, short lines, personal service. Located five minutes west of Watertown on State Route 12F (Coffeen Street Exit from US 81).
n CULTIVATING A NICHE: One north country farm family has found a niche for goat products on their 100-acre goat farm in Belleville. n SMALL BUSINESS STARTUP: Organic daylily farmers Dave and Anne Whalen raise hundreds of hearty daylily varieties on their Ellisburg farm. n GUEST ESSAY: A column by New York State Commisioner of Agriculture & Markets Richard A. Ball. n 20 QUESTIONS: An in-depth interview with a north country business leader. n PLUS: NNY Snapshot, Economically Speaking, Commerce Corner, Nonprofits Today, Business Tech Bytes, Small Business Success, Real Estate, Agri-Business, Business History and Business Scene. n VISIT US ONLINE at www.nnybizmag.com. Follow us on Twitter for daily updates at @NNYBusinessMag, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nnybusiness, and view eEditions at www.issuu.com/NNYBusiness.
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